Former Backstage actor Vusi, real name Sibusiso Radebe has died at age 37 following his battle with cancer. Tributes are pouring in for the actor who was an accomplished dancer and musical theatre star.
“Thank you for sharing your art and love with us, watching you on screen and knowing you brought my own vision closer, you inspired, entertained and taught other black children in this country that we can achieve our dreams, rest well Sibu #RIPSibusisoRadebe,” wrote the Queen’s Vuyolwethu Ngcukana.
He was well-known for the role of Vusi on e.tv’s soapie Backstage from 1999-2004, where he was cast as a dance student when he was still in matric. He also played one of South Africa’s first openly gay character.
Sibusiso Radebe was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and has been undergoing chemotherapy, including radiotherapy from January 2019.
Sibusiso Radebe was born and grew up in Soweto and started his professional career at the age of 12 in the teen magazine show X-Attitude.
Sibusiso has acted in numerous television series including Stokvel, Home Affairs, Mtunzini.com and City Ses’la. He also played the role of Snake – a hip and opinionated aspiring actor working as a bartender – in the SABC1 drama series Gaz’lam, in 2005.
Sibusiso Radebe studied drama at the National School of the Arts and was cast as dance student Vusi in the soapie Backstage immediately after leaving school. He also studied at AFDA.
Sibusiso worked extensively in theatre including playing the role of Lefou in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 2008, for which he received two Naledi Awards: Best Breakthrough Performer and Best Comedy Performance. He won another Naledi award for Best Performance in a Musical in the pantomime Pinocchio, where he played the title role.
Sibusiso also had a leading role in the 2010 FIFA World Cup musical The Boys in the Photograph.
His theatre work included Marat Sade, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet at Maynardville, Memory of How it Feels and Paul Slabolepszy’s comedy For Your Ears Only.
MGOSI.co.za
