---
name: "John Matshikiza"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-matshikiza"
fi1m_id: "john-matshikiza"
imdb_id: "nm0559344"
tmdb_id: 77681
wikidata_id: "Q13639702"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "26 November 1954"
died: "15 September 2008"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-10-04T20:18:50.448187+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# John Matshikiza

## Identity

John Matshikiza

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-matshikiza
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** john-matshikiza
- **IMDb ID:** nm0559344
- **TMDB ID:** 77681
- **Wikidata ID:** Q13639702
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Matshikiza, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13639702, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0559344/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/77681

Actor. Born 26 November 1954 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Died 15 September 2008.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 26 November 1954, Johannesburg, South Africa
- **Died:** 15 September 2008
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Matshikiza, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13639702, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0559344/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/77681

## Biography

John Matshikiza (1954–2008) was a South African actor, theatre director, poet and journalist. Born in Sophiatown, Johannesburg, he was the son of jazz pianist, composer and journalist Todd Matshikiza. Following the family's exile due to apartheid, he completed schooling and a degree in economics and politics in Lusaka, Zambia, before training at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

In the United Kingdom he performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Glasgow Citizens Theatre, and appeared in television and film. He was also active in the African National Congress's cultural unit Mayibuye while in exile. His film roles included Mapetla in *Cry Freedom* (1987) and Walter Sisulu in the television film *Mandela* (1987). He returned to South Africa in 1991 after the unbanning of the ANC.

Matshikiza continued to work in film, television and theatre in South Africa, with credits including *Dust Devil* (1992), *There's a Zulu On My Stoep* (1993), *The Air Up There* (1994), *Beyond Borders* (2003) and *Shake Hands with the Devil* (2007). He also wrote poetry and worked as a journalist. He died of a heart attack in Johannesburg in September 2008.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, theguardian.com, independent.co.uk.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Cry Freedom* (1987), Fi1m 72, as Mapetla — [page](https://film.one/film/cry-freedom.md)

## Complete filmography (25)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Shake Hands with the Devil* (2007), as President Habyarimana
- *Wah-Wah* (2005), as Dr. Zim Mzimba
- *Hard Copy* (2005), series, as Xolani Modise
- *Beyond Borders* (2003), as Dawit Ningpopo
- *Hijack Stories* (2001), as 'Bra Biza' director
- *Born Free: A New Adventure* (1996), as George Luello
- *The Redemption: Kickboxer 5* (1995), as Police Detective
- *Woman of Desire* (1994), as Det. Louis Stone
- *The Air Up There* (1994), as Mingori Mining Company Clerk
- *Yankee Zulu* (1993), as Zulu Mashabela
- *African Skies* (1992), series, Actor
- *Dust Devil* (1992), as Joe Niemand
- *Escape From Kampala* (1991), as Wycliffe Kato
- *Soldier Soldier* (1991), series, as Sgt Samuel Kekana
- *The Play on One* (1988), series, as Wycliffe Kato
- *Cry Freedom* (1987), as Mapetla — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/cry-freedom.md)
- *Mandela* (1987), as Walter Sisulu
- *The Trial of Klaus Barbie* (1987), as M'bemba
- *Dust* (1985), as Hendrick
- *Desert of Lies* (1984), as Bushman
- *By George!* (1982), as Ebangu
- *Victims of Apartheid* (1978), as Henry
- *Child of Hope* (1975), as Shihungeleni
- *Playhouse* (1974), series, as Ebangu
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, as Henry

## Gallery

- ![John Matshikiza](https://film.one/media/person/5551325/gallery-14dbc6d59adc.jpg) John Matshikiza — Image via TMDB
- ![John Matshikiza](https://film.one/media/person/5551325/gallery-fbd0331ab5c2.jpg) John Matshikiza — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/john-matshikiza