Siyamthanda Poni was born 1994 in Paarl in one of the small townships Mbekweni, single raised by his grandmother with his young brother. A father of two daughers, bread winner, Siyamthanda is a City Varsity graduate in Theatre and Performing Arts. Has been in some big productions such as Buzani Ku Bawo at Artscape directed by Thokozile Ntshinga playing leading role as Mzamo.
After my graduation i went on to eqiupe my skills on writing and producing my own work that had made me to take part in lot of writing workshops. This had played a vital role in writing my own plays and my first play is Ingcwaba which took part in Zabalaza 2017 and after a successful run at Baxter Theatre the play went on to win the inaugural AKOF at Makukhanye art room in 2017 and it continued to dazzle Mbekweni audience through out the year of 2018. Ingcwaba in 2019 it leveled up its growth by having a run at Theatre Arts Admin Colletive and at Alexander Bar were it was well recieved.
This play has allowed me to work more with professional theatre practitioners such as Mbulelo Grootbom and Mandisi Disi Sindo, Khayalethu Anthony. In 2019 I wrote a play called Waiting which also it took part at Zabalaza and one of the actors from the play won the best actress for the festival, Vuyiseka Skeyi. In 2018 i was working as a Facilitator at Mbekweni Primary schools for Creative writing, Puppetry manupilation under Sibusuzwe Art project which was led by the late Nceba Mpiliswana. In 2019 i again worked as a facilitator at Uprising Art Project were I was working with Thando Baliso, the project was mainly for Schools around Cape winlands (Pro-Active Puppetry Workshops) working hand in hand with ASSITEJ.