South African musicians died when they were 45
Here are 7 famous musicians from South Africa died at 45:
Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey (October 1, 1928 Joniškis-November 25, 1973 London) also known as Laruschka Mischa Skikne, Hirsh, Zvi Mosheh Skikne, Hirsch Skikne, Larry, Harry Skikne, Hirshkeh or Hirsh Skikne was a South African actor and film director. He had one child, Domino Harvey.
Born in Lithuania, Harvey's family immigrated to South Africa when he was a child. He began his acting career in the early 1950s in the UK and gained recognition for his roles in films such as "Room at the Top" (1959), which earned him an Academy Award nomination, and "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962). In addition to acting, Harvey also directed several films including "The Ceremony" (1963) and "Welcome to Arrow Beach" (1974, released posthumously). He was known for his brooding, complex portrayals of characters and his commanding on-screen presence. Outside of his career, Harvey was also known to have had a passionate and tumultuous personal life, marked by multiple marriages and affairs.
He died in stomach cancer.
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John Cranko
John Cranko (August 15, 1927 Rustenburg-June 26, 1973 Dublin) was a South African choreographer.
Cranko was well known for his contributions to the field of ballet, having choreographed many successful and beloved productions throughout his career. He began his dance training at the age of ten and moved to London at the age of 13 to study at the Sadler's Wells Ballet School. He went on to dance with the Sadler's Wells Ballet before joining the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet as a choreographer in 1947.
In 1951, Cranko became the resident choreographer at the Stuttgart Ballet where he would create many of his most famous works, including "Romeo and Juliet", "The Taming of the Shrew", and "Onegin". He continued working at the Stuttgart Ballet until his untimely death in 1973.
Cranko was widely regarded as a visionary in the world of ballet and his work helped to elevate the art form to new heights. He remains an influential figure in the dance community to this day.
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Frederick Cook
Frederick Cook (April 5, 1870-November 30, 1915) was a South African personality.
Actually, Frederick Cook was an American explorer and physician. He was born in New York City and is best known for his claims of being the first to reach the North Pole in 1908, although his account has been widely discredited. Cook also explored other areas of the Arctic and wrote several books about his experiences. Later in his life, he became embroiled in controversy and legal issues related to his expeditions and his credibility. Cook died in New Rochelle, New York at the age of 45.
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Louis Vorster
Louis Vorster (November 2, 1966 Potchefstroom-April 17, 2012 Pretoria) was a South African personality.
Louis Vorster was a musician, composer, and music producer, best known for his work in the Afrikaans music industry. He began his career in the 1980s as a member of the band Die Kontreikerrerafsaal Orkes, which he later left to pursue a solo career. Over the course of his career, Vorster produced and collaborated with many well-known artists in the genre, including Sonja Herholdt and Nicholis Louw. In addition to his music career, Vorster was also a television presenter and actor, appearing in numerous shows and films throughout his lifetime. Vorster passed away in 2012 at the age of 45 from complications related to cancer.
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David Hönigsberg
David Hönigsberg (October 28, 1959 South Africa-February 3, 2005) a.k.a. David Honigsberg was a South African personality.
He was a co-founder of the Nando's restaurant chain, which became internationally renowned for its peri-peri chicken dishes. Honigsberg was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and studied accounting before moving into the restaurant industry. He opened the first Nando's restaurant in Johannesburg in 1987 with his business partner Robert Brozin. The chain grew rapidly, expanding to other countries and continents. Honigsberg was known for his marketing and branding expertise and played a key role in establishing the distinctive image and voice of the Nando's brand. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 45.
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Sicelo Shiceka
Sicelo Shiceka (June 8, 1966 South Africa-April 30, 2012 Eastern Cape) was a South African personality. His child is called Bonolo Shiceka.
Sicelo Shiceka was a prominent South African politician and activist who was known for his work in the African National Congress and his advocacy for social justice and human rights. He served as the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs under President Jacob Zuma from 2009 to 2011, where he worked to promote effective local government and partnerships between traditional leaders and democratic institutions. Prior to his political career, Shiceka was a teacher and a member of the United Democratic Front, and he was imprisoned on Robben Island during apartheid for his activism against the government. Despite his contributions to South African society, Shiceka's legacy is also remembered for controversy surrounding allegations of misuse of public funds during his time as a minister, leading to investigations and his resignation from office.
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Fiona Coyne
Fiona Coyne (June 22, 1965 Springs-August 18, 2010 Fish Hoek) was a South African playwright.
Coyne was widely regarded as one of the most important voices in contemporary South African theater. Born in Springs, a small town in the Gauteng province of South Africa, she began writing plays in her adolescence and quickly gained recognition for her unique blend of wit, social commentary, and emotional depth. Her plays often tackled difficult topics like race relations, gender inequality, and mental illness, and were noted for their innovative storytelling techniques and multi-layered characters.
Coyne's most famous work, "The Table," premiered in 2008 to critical acclaim and has since been produced and translated into multiple languages around the world. The play, which examines the fraught relationships between a group of South Africans gathered around a dinner table, is regarded as a seminal work of post-apartheid theater.
Despite her success, Coyne struggled with depression for much of her life, and her death was a great loss to the South African theater community. She is remembered as a fiercely talented writer who fearlessly tackled difficult subjects and pushed the boundaries of what was possible on the stage.
She died as a result of suicide.
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