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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | South African actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Thapelo Mokoena will visit Uganda from 12th to 16th February 2026.
The five-day visit, organised by Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) and the Ikon Film and Television Awards, is a part of the 2026 Ikon Film and Television Awards roadmap, serving as a strategic bridge between the Southern and East African creative industries. Mokoena’s itinerary includes high-level media engagements, specialised masterclasses on film and creative entrepreneurship, and exclusive meet-and-greet sessions with fans and industry stakeholders.
With a career spanning over two decades, Mokoena has built a powerful personal brand that bridges film, entrepreneurship, and social impact with a film career started in 2000 in the soap opera ‘Generations’ (1994 – 2014). He has gone on to star in several films and drama series, including appearances in the UK series ‘Bulletproof’ (2018–2021), M-Net’s ‘Trackers’ (2019), and ‘Wild at Heart’ (2006–2012), among others.
Mokoena played Elias Motsoaledi – who served 26 years in Robben Island – in the 2013 Hollywood biopic, ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’ alongside Idris Elba, and has played roles in several Netflix productions, including ‘Angelina’ (2021), ‘Kings of Jo’burg’ (2020 to date) and more recently, the series ‘Bad Influencer’ and ‘Fatal Seduction’.
He is also a presenter, having hosted Fear Factor South Africa and e.tv reality makeover series Sinawe72, as well as featuring in commercials for several South African and international brands.
He will be in Uganda as part of the Ikon Film and Television Awards 2026 roadmap and, while here, will conduct a series of media engagements, masterclasses on film and creative entrepreneurship, and meet-and-greet sessions with fans and film enthusiasts in a visit that marks a strategic bridge between the Southern and East African creative industries.
Humphrey Nabimanya, Founder and CEO of Reach A Hand Uganda and the Ikon Awards, said, “Thapelo’s vast experience as an actor, filmmaker, and creative entrepreneur gives him an unmatched perspective into how to build a global brand by intentionally harnessing one’s passion for the arts. We are excited to tap into his wealth of knowledge to inspire Uganda’s creative young people on leveraging authentic storytelling and local innovation to scale their impact beyond a single field – be it in film, content creation, and any others.”
For the 2026 roadmap, the Ikon Awards has so far held activations in Nigeria, Kenya and Rwanda connecting filmmakers from these countries under the theme, “Beyond Borders” – which will celebrate, recognise and honour exceptional filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals from beyond Uganda.
Beyond the screen, the 2023 GQ South Africa Man of the Year is a dedicated entrepreneur. Since founding Bakoena Brands in 2017, he has established the Bosman Bakoena Brands partnership – the force behind the award-winning Nero wine label and a suite of premium African lifestyle brands in grooming and wellness.
While speaking about the visit, Mokoena said, “Uganda’s creative industry is on the rise, and with a population made up of mostly young people under 30 years old, the creative sector offers several opportunities to build sustainable sources of income for plenty of young people.”
He added, “I’m excited to share my experience to help this demographic reach their full potential and further amplify our authentic African culture and stories.”
