Yes, Presley Chweneyagae WAS named after Elvis!

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Renowned South African actor Presley Chweneyagae unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, 27 May at the age of 40.

According to a family spokesperson, Chweneyagae’s funeral service will take place on Saturday, 7 June.

Two memorial services will also take place, the first on Tuesday, 3 June in Mahikeng and the second on Thursday, 5 June in Pretoria.

Chweneyagae was best known for his breakout role in the 2005 Oscar-winning film Tsotsi, where he played the title character.

Here’s a brief overview of his life and career:

Career highlights

Tsotsi (2005): Presley Chweneyagae rose to international fame playing David/Tsotsi, a young gang leader in Johannesburg, in Gavin Hood’s adaptation of Athol Fugard’s novel. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, bringing global attention to South African cinema
Subsequently he appeared in various local TV series and films, including:
- The River – where he played Cobra, a fan-favourite role
- Zibondiwe, Task Force, and Hopeville
- Films such as State of Violence, Africa United and Cobrizi

Presley was also active in theatre, having trained at the North West Arts Council Drama School
His stage work often focused on social and political issues, and he expressed a passion for using theatre to educate and uplift communities

Born on 19 October 1984 in Mafikeng, North West province
He was named after Elvis Presley because of his mother’s admiration for the American singer
Chweneyagae used his platform to speak on youth development, anti-drug campaigns, and community upliftment
In 2022, he made headlines due to an alleged assault charge involving his partner. The case drew mixed reactions and was reportedly resolved.
In 2023, he was implicated in the National Lottery scandal that was investigated by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). It was reported that over R67.5 million was paid to the Southern African Youth Movement (SAYM), of which he was said to be the ambassador. The money was meant to uplift poor women in Marikana and surrounding areas in the North West province on a chicken farming project.�