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.
Atandwa Kani
Actor
Atandwa Kani is a Naledi Award winning South African film and theatre actor. He is the son of celebrated South African actor and Tony Award winner Dr John Kani. He made his international stage debut in The Tempest at the Royal Shakespeare Company where he played Ariel alongside his father (Caliban) and Sir Anthony Sher (Prospero).
In 2009 he made his international television debut in the CW TV Network show Life is Wild, an American adaptation of the popular ITV drama Wild at Heart (also starring in) which aired in the UK from 2006 to 2012 Atandwa went on to play the young Nelson Mandela in the film Mandela: Long Walk to freedom directed by Justin Chadwick acting alongside Idris Elba (Mandela), Naomi Harris (Winnie Mandela) and Terry Pheto (Evelyn Mase).
In South Africa Kani starred in Kowethu, an SABC 1 drama and featured in international BET series The Book of Negroes where he acted alongside Cuba Gooding Jr (Sam Fraunces) and Aunjanue Ellis (Aminata Diallo). He starred in 90 Plein Street, Generations and Muvhango.
Kani performed Sizwe Banzi is Dead in New York, directed by Dr John Kani and did a South African tour of the show from 2015 to 2016. In 2016 he starred in a Film adaptation of Can Temba’s book The Suit which won a SAFTA in 2017 for Best Short Film. The Film was part of the 19th Zanzibar International Film Festival and the Urban World Film Festival in New York.
He has been seen on Mzansi Magic’s hit TV Series, It’s Complicated and has appeared in Marvel’s comic book film Black Panther, alongside his father, playing the young King T’Chaka.
Atandwa has written and published the play Hayani alongside Nat Ramabulana and is publishing his new work After Tears. He has starred in plays such as The Miser with Sylvaine Strike, The Island directed by Dr John Kani, A Kid Like Rishi in New York and most recently Othello directed by Lara Foot and is currently touring the production of Faustus in Africa directed by William Kentridge.
Atandwa attained his honors degree at the University of the Witwatersrand and his Masters at NYU in the USA. He resides in New York.
