Artists Among Us

The People Behind the Movement

We are artists, educators, curators, strategists, and community builders. We came together because we believe South African visual arts deserves better infrastructure, better support, and better visibility. This is who we are.

Executive

Lentswe Martin Mathole

Lentswe Martin Mathole

Chairperson

Ceramicist & Foresight Strategist

Gauteng

Lentswe Mathole is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in organisational management, arts development, and creative entrepreneurship. As Founder and Executive Director of the Siyavuka Lateral Improvement Foundation (SLIF), he has been instrumental in revitalising South Africa’s arts and craft ecosystem — nurturing creative talent, fostering enterprise development, and building strategic partnerships that empower young artists and entrepreneurs. Combining artistic insight with strategic foresight, Lentswe integrates contemporary leadership frameworks such as Narrative, Integral, Neuroleadership, Social Intelligence, and Gestalt within the South African business context. His mission is to position the visual arts as a global driver of cultural identity, economic inclusion, and innovation.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Arts development leadership
  • Creative entrepreneurship
  • Sector ecosystem building
  • Strategic foresight and partnerships

Education

Diploma in Ceramic Art and Design (FUBA School of Arts), Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (GIBS), MPhil in Business Management — Corporate Strategy and Strategic Foresight (GIBS)

Prudence Magagula

Prudence Magagula

Deputy Chairperson

Fine Artist (Sculpture)

Mpumalanga

Prudence Magagula is a fine artist specializing in sculpture and ceramics whose work challenges gender stereotypes by highlighting the overlooked presence of women in South Africa’s mining industry. Through powerful clay forms, she portrays women miners with strength and dignity, celebrating them as “Imbokodo” — the rocks of society. Alongside her creative practice, she contributes to VACSA as a board member, advocating for representation and inclusion of underrepresented provinces and communities. With a background in administration, she also brings strong organizational and coordination skills that support her leadership within the arts sector.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Sculpture and ceramics practice
  • Gender equity advocacy
  • Rural and peri-urban representation
  • Organisational coordination

Officers

Fhumulani Msandiwa

Fhumulani Msandiwa

Secretary

Curator & Art Director

Limpopo

Fhumulani is a curator and art director at the forefront of innovation in the digital art space, where technology and creativity join to preserve and expand African cultural expression in contemporary formats. His curatorial approach challenges conventions by introducing new models of cultural participation and merging traditional artistry with emerging digital technologies, including NFTs and blockchain-based art ecosystems. As the Founder and Director of Meta Creations, Fhumulani has led a wide range of creative projects spanning non-profit communication strategies, corporate storytelling, and cultural initiatives. His body of work exemplifies how design and curation can function as tools for communication, education, and social transformation, rather than aesthetics alone.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Digital innovation and NFT ecosystems
  • Curatorial vision
  • Creative direction across disciplines
  • Technology and culture bridging
Tshidiso Makhetha

Tshidiso Makhetha

Deputy Secretary

Visual Artist & Curator

North West

Tshidiso was born in Soweto, Orlando East. He completed his studies at Pelmama Academy City Johannesburg where he did Graphic Design, Sculpture and Drawing, then pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art (BAFA) at Witwatersrand University and Project Management at Damelin. He was a lecturer at Funda Community College from 1997 to 2002, then served as Curator of Education at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, involved in exhibitions like Africa Remix and Thami Mnyele Fine Retrospective. In 2010 he moved to the City of Ekurhuleni as Curator of Visual Arts and Galleries, managing the Thami Mnyele Art Competition and Chris Hani Photographic exhibition. He currently serves as Manager of Visual Arts at the City of Ekurhuleni.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Curatorial expertise (JAG, Ekurhuleni)
  • Arts education and lecturing
  • Municipal arts management
  • Exhibition curation and project management

Education

N4 Certificate — Graphic Design, Sculpture & Drawing (Pelmama Academy), BAFA (Wits University), Project Management (Damelin)

Mvulazana Awonke Zidlele

Mvulazana Awonke Zidlele

Treasurer

Photographer, Designer & Cultural Storyteller

Eastern Cape

Mvulazana Awonke Zidlele is a multidisciplinary creative working across photography, graphic design, copywriting and cultural storytelling. Growing up between the rural landscapes of Mbizana and the urban energy of Cape Town, she bridges tradition and contemporary expression in all her work. Zidlele has led high-impact marketing campaigns for the Eastern Cape and Lesotho Mining Indabas, but her heart lies in visual storytelling that amplifies rural voices and preserves heritage. Her work is deeply rooted in the South African experience, blending rural narratives with contemporary artistic practice. Through her visual language, she challenges stereotypes, documents transformation, and celebrates identity.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Photography and visual storytelling
  • Rural cultural narrative
  • Strategic communication and design
  • Campaign leadership

Education

BA Journalism — Politics, Philosophy & Art History (Rhodes University), Photography & Design (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University), JAMI Femmes Programme, Ecology & Evolution (Global Changemakers)

Board Members

Khanyisile Mvukelwa

Khanyisile Mvukelwa

Board Member

Arts Consultant & Creative Producer

Western Cape

Khanyisile is a dynamic creative professional with a diverse background spanning community radio, arts consultancy, and creative production. Her career began in community radio management and production, where she also honed her voice as a presenter, connecting deeply with audiences and local creatives. As an independent consultant, she plays a vital role in supporting visual artists by assisting with their printing and framing needs, ensuring they are well-prepared for the exhibition and sale of their works. Recognizing that many emerging artists struggle to find a starting point in showcasing their art to the world, Khanyisile takes great pleasure in guiding them through this creative journey, from concept to presentation, with care, insight, and practical expertise.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Arts consultancy and production
  • Artist development and mentoring
  • Community media and radio
  • Exhibition preparation support
Saba Zahara HoneyBush

Saba Zahara HoneyBush

Board Member

Strategist, Communicator & Creative Facilitator

Northern Cape

Saba Zahara HoneyBush is a multidisciplinary strategist, communicator, and creative facilitator whose work bridges art, technology, and social innovation. She is committed to bridging divides between visual arts, performing arts, and music, fostering interdisciplinary projects that connect diverse forms of cultural expression. As an artist, Saba is a vocalist, filmmaker, sculptor, and founder of the HoneyBush Healing Arts Platform, working with children and young people to heal trauma through creativity, storytelling, and public art murals. Her projects include murals in the Cape Flats and rural India, and painting a wooden village school in Uganda.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Cultural and green sector strategy
  • Interdisciplinary arts bridging
  • International perspective (MBA Switzerland, ITU Africa)
  • Community healing through art

Education

MBA in Social Entrepreneurship (Switzerland), Master’s in Integrative Eco-Social Design (in progress), Double distinction in Visual Art (matric), Batik Design (Indonesia)

Thobekile Shange

Thobekile Shange

Board Member

Visual Artist & Cultural Practitioner

KwaZulu-Natal

Thobekile Shange is a Durban-based visual artist and cultural practitioner whose work moves fluidly between painting, textile-based sculpture, and material exploration. Her practice often draws on fabrics as vehicles to express layered narratives of care, emotional inheritance, and the intimacy of lived experience. She currently serves as President of the Board at KZNSA Gallery (Durban), where she also sits on the Exhibitions Sub-Committee. Beyond visual arts, Thobekile has contributed to the artist management team for Msaki and the independent artist label ALTBLK>>, deepening her engagement with creative ecosystems and collaborative production. Mentored by artist and educator Dee Donaldson (Studio 3) for several years, Thobekile continues to refine a practice grounded in authenticity, craft, and cultural presence.

What I bring to VACSA

  • Practising artist perspective
  • KZNSA Gallery governance (President)
  • Mixed media and textile art
  • Creative ecosystem collaboration

This board serves voluntarily. They are here because they believe in the sector and the visual artists within it.

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