Joburg – Siyabonga ‘Cyaart’ Mbola has had a passion for art since he was a young boy.
The 28 year old Soweto youngster has been drawing since primary school and after he matriculated, he enrolled at Central Johannesburg College in a bid to cultivate his skills and become a qualified artist.
But Mbola was unable to finish his studies due to financial reasons and instead, he decided to use his art to beautify and uplift his community of Motsoaledi, which is rife with unemployment and poverty.
He and his team then decided to showcase his artistic skills on some of the community buildings and shacks.
Mbola also draws murals on the exteriors of some of the informal settlement’s salons, daycare centres and food kitchens in the hopes that his artwork will attract business to these premises.
Some of his striking works include a mural of Hector Pieterson during the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976, ‘I love Soweto’ graphics and other personalised artworks.
Some of Mbola’s clients cannot afford to pay him for his work but this does not deter him from offering his services as he works to uplift the impoverished community.
Mbola and his team also sell some of their art to tourists but they admitted that their business took a knock during the Covid-19 pandemic but now that most of the lockdown regulations have been lifted, they hope that their business starts to boom.