Mandela Bay Theatre Complex, formerly the Port Elizabeth Opera House, (also known as MBTC) is a theatre in the city of Gqeberha, in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
Built and opened in 1892, Mandela Bay Theatre Complex is the oldest theater in Africa and one of the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere.
It has been proclaimed a national monument since 1980 and is one of the preferred venues for performing arts in the Eastern Cape province.
Mandela Bay Theatre Complex (MBTC) boasts two iconic theatres and the historic The Opera House. “The” denoting it being the first of its kind in South Africa, built in 1892. The other historic feature is the Barn Theatre, which was an addition to The Opera House in the 1900s. This historic building is located at the Corner of John Kani Road and Winston Ntshona Street.
To celebrate the historic achievement of John Kani, Winston Ntshona, and Athol Fugard, who became the first artists in Africa to win the prestigious Tony Award in 1975, in 2015, Mandela Bay Theatre Complex unveiled a stained glass.
The stained glass was coupled with the renaming of three streets surrounding the theatres to the same luminaries. It is here where MBTC hosts its Seasons, Festivals, and Artistic Events. Given that the two theatres are based at the Corner of John Kani Road and Winston Ntshona Street, abbreviated as CKN (Corner Kani Ntshona), the building is referred to as CKN Centre.
However, Mandela Bay Theatre Complex runs its business at 68 Cape Road in Mill Park, Gqeberha. This is where all administrative operations are undertaken, as well as the development programmes of the institution. This building is referred to as the CR68 Hub. CR68 Hub has an additional two performance spaces, namely the Rehearsal Joint and the Open Mic Courtyard.
The Mandela Bay Theatre Complex (MBTC) was declared as a Schedule 3A public entity on 26 May 2021, and gazetted on 04 June 2021 by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), thus making it its entity. The call for the new Council was issued in October 2021. The entity became operational as a declared Performing Arts Cultural Institution on 1 April 2022, with the new Council appointed on 02 June 2022.
The MBTC succeeded the previous Board of the Port Elizabeth Opera House NPC, which oversaw the longest-running theatre in Africa since 1892.
Mandela Bay Theatre Complex is committed to providing equal opportunities and creating jobs for all qualified, deserving, and capable South Africans. In an attempt to ensure services provided by the institution are beneficial to the public, a fair and open process is followed through procurement as determined by the Public Finance Management Act No. 1 of 1999, National Treasury regulations, and MBTC policies.
MBTC has a close relationship with the 18 Community Arts Centres in the Eastern Cape province, thus ensuring that its pulse is felt across the length and breadth of the province.
The Mandela Bay Theatre Complex, entrusted by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), is committed to providing equal opportunities and creating jobs for all qualified, deserving, and capable South Africans.
Mantra
To better serve the performing arts sector.
Vision
The vision of the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex is to be the leading producer of excellence and job creation for performing arts in the Eastern Cape Province and beyond.
Mission
For the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex to ensure it creates jobs and supports excellence in the performing arts the following shall be the evidence:
- Responsible and accountable institutional management.
- Partner with local, provincial, national, and international individuals and institutions.
- Stimulate the creation of decent jobs for the performing arts sector.
- Produce qualitative and everlasting artistic works.
- Nurturing of talent for excellence.
Values
- Leadership: the courage to shape a better future.
- Integration: committed to urban-rural development and unity among societies.
- Collaboration: leverage collective will.
- Integrity: be real.
- Accountability and transparency: if it is to be, it is up to us.
- Diversity: as inclusive as our programmes.
- Passion: committed in heart and mind.
- Quality and excellence: what we do, we do well.
- Loyalty: she looks after me, I look after her.
- Teamwork: one for all, all for one.
Overseeing Department/Entity
Office Bearers/Management
Chairperson
- Ms Palesa Kadi
Deputy Chairperson
- Prof Mcebisi Ndletyana
Council Members
- Mr Suren Maharaj
- Mr Mbasa Metuse
- Mr Gcinibandla Mtukela
- Mr Comfort Nabane
- Justice Irma Schoeman
- Ms Nonceba Shoba
- Dr Olwethu Siphuka
Chief Executive Officer
- Mr Monde Ngonyama
Chief Financial Officer
- Mr Lazola Mfenyana
Contact Details
The contact details of the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex are listed in the table below.
| Physical Address: | Corner of John Kani Road and Winston Ntshona Street, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape 6001 |
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 1556, Gqeberha, 6000 |
| Telephone: | 041 586 2256 |
| Email: | arts@mandelabaytheatre.co.za |
| Website: | www.mandelabaytheatre.co.za |
READ MORE:
➜ List of Galleries, Museums, and Theatres in South Africa
➜ National Government of South Africa
| Galleries, Museums & Theatres under South Africa’s National Government |
|---|
| Amazwi South African Museum of Literature . Artscape Theatre Centre . Die Afrikaanse Taalmuseum en -monument . Ditsong: Museums of South Africa . Freedom Park . Iziko Museums of South Africa . KwaZulu-Natal Museum . Luthuli Museum . Mandela Bay Theatre Complex . Market Theatre Foundation . National Museum in Bloemfontein . Nelson Mandela Museum . Robben Island Museum . South African State Theatre . The Playhouse Company . uMsunduzi Museum . War Museum of the Boer Republics . William Humphreys Art Gallery |
