Nobantu Shabangu is a gender non-conforming South African writer, creative and performer. They started writing when they were nine years old. Their first writing accomplishment was winning a national essay competition on the cruelty of farm animals when they were eighteen.

During the years 2012-2014 they were part of the British Council Playwright’s Residency in conjunction with the Royal Court Theatre in London where their play Candyland was developed. In 2015 a reading of their play Candyland was held at the Market Theatre. In 2016 they were facilitator for The Zwakala Festival, a Market Theatre initiative to develop community theatre. They are the winner of wine company, Leopard’s Leap 2018 Message on a Bottle writing competition. Nobantu was named the African regional winner for the 2020 BBC International Radio Playwriting Competition. They have written for various online platforms and currently operate as a freelance writer for OkayAfrica.

A flexible academic and artist, they hold a bachelors degree in Communication Science and Public Administration as well as two postgraduate degrees in Applied Drama and Drama Therapy. They are currently studying a Masters of Drama Therapy at the University of Witwatersrand wherein the focus leads on from their honour’s degree research on healing from sexual trauma by reconnecting with the body through embodiment and other techniques from art therapy.

Their passions lie in community building, governance, entrepreneurship, self-actualisation, the healing arts, theatre and physical performance.