Emalahleni- In the heart of Emalahleni, where coal dust clings to ambition and the skyline hints at change, lives a man with ink-stained fingers and a fire in his soul.
You may not be familiar with the name Remember Makgoga, but his nickname, Chinacity, might ring a bell. A name echoed on the streets, online, and in the minds of those touched by his work.
By day, he’s a 34-year-old retail worker; by passion, a self-taught tattoo artist whose journey now speaks through lines, shadows and skin.
Long before he became known as Chinacity, Makgoga’s artistic journey began not in studios or galleries, but on school desks and scrap papers in Limpopo where he grew up.
There were no private tutors, just long afternoons spent with childhood friends, trading sketches and battling pencils over who could draw Dragon Ball Z characters the fastest. “Goku was everyone’s favourite,” he laughs. “We’d challenge each other just to see who could draw him best and quickest.”
It was playful, but for Chinacity, those moments lit a deeper spark.
Chinacity doesn’t just draw people, he studies them. Faces, in particular, are his favourite subject. “I’m a lover of people,” he says. “I enjoy meeting new people and interacting with them. And I get to capture the essence of people.”
He pays close attention to the details many overlook: dimples, freckles, moles— to him, those tiny features carry stories. “You have to study the face. Really study it. Look at the picture they send or sit with them in person. There’s a kind of intimacy in that. That image stays with you.”
For Chinacity, this is a quiet form of storytelling—one that doesn’t rely on loud words, only patient, intentional hands. It’s a beautiful, quiet kind of storytelling, one that doesn’t need loud words, just patient hands.
Mayor Nhlapo, ‘I see you’
Earlier this year, he observed some slow but visible changes unfolding across Emalahleni. Behind those changes was executive mayor Vusi Nhlapho.
“I started seeing the mayor everywhere,” he recalls. “Not just on posters or during speeches, but on the ground, talking to people, listening. You don’t see that often.”
Chinacity picked up his pencil and turned admiration into art. He drew a portrait of the mayor, not for recognition or payment, but as a gesture of gratitude. “I wanted to honour him for his kindness, his leadership. To say, ‘I see you.’ Because of him, people are starting to have faith in the municipality again. That’s not easy. Once trust is broken, it takes a lot to rebuild it. But he’s showing us that he cares, that he’s for the people. A very transparent leader.”
The people who inspire Chinacity
Chinacity’s admiration for art extends far beyond his local surroundings. He’s quick to name the artists who’ve shaped and inspired his creative path. One of them is Nhlaka Sithole, a boundary-pushing talent from Durban who holds a special place in his heart.
“His style? Unmatched,” says the animated Chinacity. “He pushes boundaries, and that fuels me. It reminds me [of] what’s possible.”
He also draws inspiration from SK Original Art, an innovator who creates double-sided paintings and portraits using materials like glass, hammers, and screws.
“Like what? That’s innovation,” he laughs. “That’s proof art can be more. Because of his work, he’s met people like Kabza da Small, Somizi, even Chris Brown. That’s the power of art.”
For Chinacity, these aren’t just artists, they’re reminders of how far talent, when nurtured, can truly go. “You never know where your gift might take you,” he says.
It’s not just inspiration, it’s a reminder of the doors that talent can open.
Tattooing as intimacy
When Chinacity is not drawing on blank canvas, he is often inking stories onto skin. His tattoo work is precise, deeply personal, and often emotionally charged for his clients.
“Tattoos are permanent, man,” he says. “That’s someone trusting you with their body. It’s sacred work.” For him, the process goes far beyond drawing. “You’re not just creating a design, you’re listening. You’re hearing about breakups, losses, triumphs, and then you translate that into something lasting. It stays with them forever. That’s powerful.”
While some may see tattooing as an act of rebellion, for Chinacity, it’s an act of healing.
Talent + faith = magic
To get to where he is today has not been an easy journey for Chinacity. “It takes discipline. It takes dedication. It takes time,” he says. “You have to be patient with yourself.”
Art and faith are inseparable for Chinacity. The two move in harmony, guiding him through doubt and lifting him in moments of joy. “God has given all of us different talents,” he says. “It’s up to us to use them. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to try.”
He often leans on the words of one of his artistic heroes, Vincent Van Gogh: “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”
Then, with a quiet conviction and a smile in his voice, he adds his own reflection: “If anything… just try. It might shock you.”“If anything… just try. It might shock you.”
In a city like Emalahleni, where resilience runs through the soil and transformation hums beneath the surface, Chinacity stands for more than just art.
He is a storyteller, a healer, and a quiet reminder that greatness doesn’t always arrive with noise. Sometimes, it appears in pencil lines, steady hands, and silent faith.
