MEET OUR FACILITATORS
The John Kani Performing Arts Academy (JKA) is proud to partner with some of South Africa’s most respected and award winning practitioners in the creative arts. These facilitators are not just instructors – they are artists and leaders whose work has shaped our cultural landscape. Every course at JKA is taught by a specialist with deep expertise and ongoing relevance in the field.
Xabiso Zweni
Actor, Writer and Director
Xabiso Zweni is a multiple award-winning actor, writer, and director. He holds a Diploma in Speech and Drama from Stageworld Theatre School and a Trinity College London Diploma in Performing Arts. For the past ten years, he has collaborated internationally, including work with German theatre companies such as Landesbühne Niedersachsen Nord, focusing on Theatre of the Oppressed and children’s and youth theatre. Through this, he has learned the value of theatre pedagogy in creating meaningful theatre experiences.
Xabiso was commissioned to direct three children’s productions at Marburg Theatre and JungenKultur Arbeit Arts Centre in Germany. He has also directed productions in Dutch-speaking countries, strengthening cultural ties between Lower Saxony and the Eastern Cape. In 2025, he was commissioned by the Mandela Bay Theatre Complexto direct Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their Tony Award recognition.
Awards and Recognitions
- P.E. Herald Showtime Award – Best Newcomer (2006)
- Standard Bank Ovation Award – Performer (NAF 2013)
- Two-time MEC Arts & Culture Award – 2015, 2018
- Fruits of Democracy Award (2016)
- Star of the Eastern Cape Award (2018)
- Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award – Director (NAF 2020)
- Shortlisted for Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans (2020)
- P.E. Herald Citizen of the Year Award with Masifunde Learner Development (2021)
- MEC Arts & Culture Award – Directing (2023)
- MEC Arts & Culture Award – Best Production (2024)
- Mandela Bay Theatre Complex Isakhono Award (2024)
- Standard Bank Ovation Award – Producer (NAF 2024)
Xabiso is currently a Drama Facilitator and Director at Masifunde Learner Development, continuing to inspire young performers and create impactful theatre productions.
