RENOWNED filmmaker and Studio 263 producer Godwin Mawuru has died. He was 52.

REPORT BY TINASHE SIBANDA

Mawuru died of diabetes complications yesterday morning at Parirenyatwa Hospital where he had been admitted for the past two weeks.

Family spokesperson Owen Chapanduka said Mawuru was taken to hospital after collapsing a fortnight ago.

“Godwin was admitted two weeks ago after he collapsed and this week he looked like he was actually recovering. Unfortunately, we have lost him,” Chapanduka said. “It is sad that we have lost Godwin.”

Although Chapanduka said funeral arrangements would be announced in due course as they were still waiting for some family members from abroad, indications were that the burial would be held at his rural home at Chiguune in Gutu.

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Mawuru was born in 1961 in Shamva.

He attended Shamva Primary School before proceeding to Chimimba Secondary School in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central.

In the early 1980s, he spent some time doing theatre work before getting into filming. In theatre, he worked in various areas including acting, directing and working backstage. Since 1986, Mawuru had worked on several local and international films.

In 1987, he produced and directed his first production entitled The Tree Is Mine.

His second production as a director was a film titled Facilitation Techniques In Training. Popular film Neria was his third production.

After Neria, Mawuru spent six months at the National Film Board of Canada in Montreal before returning home to work on several other projects.

He directed many television productions and is best known for the long-running Zimbabwe soap Studio 263.

He was still working on the soap at the time of his death.

He is survived by wife Tsitsi and two children Joe (26) and Rumbidzai (16).

Mourners are gathered at number 28 Cloverly Road, Chadcombe, Harare.