The South African arts and entertainment industry has been struck by another loss - filmmaker and producer Teboho Mahlatsi.

He was 49.

The family released a statement;

"It is with the saddest regret we announce the untimely passing of filmmaker and producer Teboho Moseling Mahlatsi on the third of July 2023. In lieu of personal condolences, the family kindly requests prayers and that they be given privacy to mourn and come to terms with the tragic loss."

Mahlatsi was a talented filmmaker and producer who made a significant contribution to South African television. He was co-creator and writer of the popular 1990s drama series Yizo Yizo, which explored the problems learners faced in the South African education system during that time. The series was controversial for its depiction of violence and gangsterism in schools, but it was also praised for its realism and its insights into the challenges facing young people in South Africa.

Yizo Yizo is currently streaming on Netflix.

Mahlatsi also directed several other television series, including Portrait of a Young Man Drowning, Shuga: Love, Sex, and Money, For Love and Broken Bones, and Isibaya. He was also a co-director at Bomb Productions, which produced the Mzansi Magic drama series Shaka iLembe.

The cause of Mahlatsi's death was not released. His family asked for privacy to mourn his loss.