Award-winning Moz actor dies after giving birth

Award-winning Mozambique actress and producer Hermelinda Simela has died.

BBC reports that the 38-year-old died after giving birth to her daughter in hospital. The child is in good health.

“The country has lost a strong, resilient woman, an exemplary mother and, above all, an engine of our dreams,” Simela's longtime friend and colleague Alvim Cossa told the BBC.

“Hermelinda encouraged theatre people and created opportunities for actors to succeed.”

Simela scooped best supporting actress at the 2013 Africa Movie Academy Awards for her Virgin Margarida role.

Her death comes a week after the funeral of Botswana-born actor and producer Shona Ferguson who died of Covid-19-related complications in SA.