Biography
Zolani Mkiva is a South African actor, producer, poet and musician. He played Raymond Mhlaba in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013). He has also appeared in Foreign Demons (2009) and served as associate producer on A Small Town Called Descent (2010).
Born in 1974 in Dutywa in the Eastern Cape, Mkiva trained at the University of the Western Cape. He is best known as a praise poet (imbongi) who performed for Nelson Mandela, including at his 1990 welcome home rally and 1994 inauguration. Mkiva has produced music albums and served as an advisor on traditional affairs and as Secretary-General of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa.
