Once a thriving cultural hub, Mphatlalatsane Theatre has become a symbol of what residents say their community has lost.
The theatre has hosted performers and creatives such as Letsha Le Maduke (Diroto) and playwright-director Psalm “Skhwenene” Dlamini.
However, the facility now stands with damaged infrastructure, vandalised facilities and deteriorating sections of the building.
Residents say the condition of the theatre has robbed the community, particularly young people, of an important space for arts, recreation and cultural activities.
The situation reflects broader concerns about poor service delivery in South Africa, particularly the deterioration of public infrastructure in local communities.
Maki Seleke, who grew up performing at the theatre, said it was painful to see the facility in its current condition.
Seleke recalled performing on the stage as part of a choir and said the facility had since become associated with unlawful activities.
Residents have also raised concerns about safety around the theatre, saying people are reluctant to use the area after dark.
Restore the facility
Another resident, Lazarus Moriba, questioned whether the Emfuleni Municipality would eventually restore the facility, citing previous incomplete projects in the area.
Moriba said residents had welcomed an earlier attempt to rehabilitate the theatre, but the construction work was not completed.
He said the theatre had once been a place where the community gathered for shows and other events.
Security was eventually introduced at the facility in October 2025, after extensive vandalism had already taken place.
A security guard told Sowetan that the presence of guards had helped prevent people from continuing to use the premises unlawfully.
Residents, however, questioned why the facility had not been adequately protected before its infrastructure was damaged and stripped.
Municipality responds
Emfuleni Municipality acknowledged that Mphatlalatsane Theatre had been extensively vandalised.
Emfuleni spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni said the theatre remained a strategic community arts asset and that the municipality was committed to restoring it.
“The municipality was reviewing its security measures while engaging the Gauteng provincial government for technical and financial support for the rehabilitation of the facility,” said Sangweni.
According to Sangweni, the theatre’s rehabilitation was also raised during Emfuleni’s 2025 integrated development plan and budget public participation process.
Arts stakeholders subsequently called for the facility to be prioritised in the municipality’s 2026-2027 key performance areas.
Sangweni said the municipality’s ultimate objective was to restore Mphatlalatsane Theatre to full operation.
For residents who remember the theatre at its height, the wait for its revival remains a painful reminder of what the community has lost.
