JOHANNESBURG – Mpumalanga Culture, Sport & Recreation MEC Leah Mabuza has raised concerns about the preservation and financial beneficiation of Dr Esther Mahlangu’s internationally renowned artistic legacy.
Speaking during a visit to the Dr Esther Mahlangu Exhibition at Wits Art Museum in Braamfontein on Thursday, March 20, Mabuza emphasised the need to protect Dr Esther’s legacy while ensuring she receives fair financial recognition for her contributions.
She referenced Dr Esther’s celebrated collaboration with BMW, arguing that the artist should, at the very least, own a BMW, given her contributions to the German automaker. She pointed out that while people worldwide spend a fortune to own Gogo’s customised BMW, she does not own one herself.
Mabuza also announced the department’s initiative to collaborate with Microsoft to digitise and preserve Gogo’s artwork. She further highlighted the need to revitalise the foundation Dr Esther established and the art school at her homestead in Siyabuswa.
“I believe that from the work she has done to date, she should be one of the richest women in the country. I understand that she was mostly driven by passion, but we also need to look at the business side and ensure that Gogo and her work are protected,” Mabuza said.
The visit served as a gesture of appreciation for Mahlangu and an opportunity to witness the exhibition, curated by internationally acclaimed curator Dr Nontobeko Ntombela. Accompanied by an administrative team from DCSR, including Head of Department Godfrey Ntombela, the MEC marvelled at the showcased works under the theme Esther Mahlangu: A Retrospective, which traces the artist’s journey across the world.
“We are also here to initiate an engagement with Wits University. I understand that you are nurturing many young women who are interested in Ndebele artistic work,” Mabuza stated. She acknowledged that a female student recently won an award for producing a digital artwork fused with Ndebele art, highlighting the growing interest from young people in the Ndebele art.
Mabuza reaffirmed the department’s commitment to supporting artists in securing sustainable financial benefits.
“We are looking to host an arts masterclass for young creatives in June that will provide training in all aspects of art including financial management and ensure that more artists like Gogo emerge from the province,” she said.
She thanked Wits University for its hospitality and invited Mpumalanga residents to visit the free exhibition, which has drawn over 9,000 visitors since its opening on November 20. The exhibition runs until April 17, offering an opportunity to witness Mahlangu’s remarkable work firsthand.
Mabuza also stressed the urgent need for proper recognition of Mahlangu’s work by the province and for it to be placed alongside the work of other local artists. “Everywhere in the country, there are special art galleries or dedicated sections for Gogo’s work, yet here in Mpumalanga, her home province, we have nothing to show as the government,” she remarked.
Leading the tour, Dr Ntombela, explaining the journey of curating the exhibition—which began in Cape Town in January 2024—revealed that it took four years of research, starting in 2019, with a team of researchers.
“Given the theme A Retrospective, we had to go back to where it all began, sourcing more of Gogo’s artwork, which was scattered across the world, books featuring her, and the first BMW she painted in 1991,” Dr Ntombela stated.
She thanked those who contributed financially, covering the R1 million cost of transporting the BMW back to the country, as well as those who allowed their collections of Mahlangu’s work to be displayed.
As the tour concluded, HOD Ntombela said the department would revisit the patents protecting Mahlangu’s work to explore ways of ensuring long-term financial benefits.
Dr Ntombela added that most of Mahlangu’s work has been sold to various collectors who now hold the rights.
“The only financial benefit now comes from the commercialisation of the remaining artworks she still owns, which have significantly increased in value. However, most of her work is valued in dollars, making it unaffordable for most South Africans. Corporate collaborations also offer opportunities, but the family must ensure fair deals. The agency representing her would be best positioned to elaborate on this aspect,” Dr Ntombela concluded.
