Nyanga Tshabalala

Nyanga Tshabalala is an internationally accomplished puppeteer, puppet trainer, writer, and director who is known for performing in African co-productions of Sesame Street. He performs Zikwe within Takalani Sesame for South Africa and also did a different version of him called Zobi on Sesame Square and Techniques for Effective Teaching videos. Nyanga is fluent in English and many African languages which is probably useful in case he ever gets interviewed for an appearance. Tshabalala has spent six-month affiliations with Sesame Workshop to studied multi-media educational programming, according to the Wiki. He has even trained with Jim Henson Productions in New York on both Muppet making and costume design, something no other South African has done. Some other South African puppeteers he worked with include Boitumelo Betty Maretele, Lindani Obed Nkosi, and Nozizwe Zulu. It must've been an exciting moment for Nyanga Tshabalala to become known as internationally accomplished, I think he ought to be in pictures for that. It's too bad Zikwe didn't guest star on the actual Sesame Street like Zuzu did in the 48th season, then it would be a great honor for the performer. I hope that Takalani Sesame will continue production for the near future. Maybe someday Nyanga will guest star on Sesame Street (the American one) with his character just like Maretele did with Zuzu. And soon Tshabalala is gonna be considered the greatest South African puppeteer or all. It might or might not happen, but you never know when someone will be honored. Nyanga Tshabalala, you've done wonderful on Takalani Sesame and Sesame Square as Zikwe. I hope you'll keep performing him for years to come and maybe consider appearing on a talk show where you'll be interviewed. You might have some things puppeteers will want to know about you. Until then, keep up the great work Nyanga. You're a star Tshabalala!