Behind the Scenes at Shine Mpophomeni

So, it’s back in time and we’re sitting around a table with Matt, who you’ll know from Love Howick and as the procurer of the Lottoland Help n’ Dorp winnings. We’re discussing what sites we’re painting as part of the BOOMTOWN Story Tour project.  

In our past lives, Jono and I were excitable children… So nothing has changed really. The priority for the BOOMTOWN Story Tour was to represent the whole area, so it was important to highlight Mpophomeni. With a lot of arm gestures and general wow-weeing and gee-whizzing, we decided there was no option but to paint the whopping 40m long and 5m high underpass between Merrivale towards Mpophomeni. It was a non-negotiable.  

Matt mentioned “Budget”. 

Several times. 

But excitable kids want what they want. And we wanted “Shine Mpophomeni”– ten massive portraits of Mpophomeni faces. 

We mentioned painting for free if we had to, and I offered to immerse myself in YouTube masterclasses to become an expert spray painter. That’s when Matt handed over our portion of the budget (metaphorically, although I’d have loved a cash briefcase) with an “As long as the job gets done” parental shrug. Sometimes excitable kids need to just tire themselves out. 

As a privileged white South African woman, it’s difficult to describe Mpophomeni for fear of coming across as one of those influencer tourists – you know the type? However, cliches such as “special”, “warm”, and “inspiring” come to mind. But honestly, it’s the people– they make magic through telling their rich stories.  

If you’re new here, there’s a genre of literature, Magical Realism, that became popular in Africa. Magical Realism incorporates fantastical and mythological elements from the continent’s rich folklore and brings it into the everyday. In this way, it allows the storyteller to explore complex, difficult, and painful issues, while allowing the reader some reprieve through the soft landing of magic. There’s beauty in pain, there’s magic in hardship. 

Shine Mpophomeni is a story that needs to be told, and it’s not something we could tell alone, because it’s not our story to tell. We needed help, and this project needed to be collaborative and community-driven. The concept was to shine a light on Mpophomeni by showcasing ten everyday heroes who impact the community. 

Most people (whites) know Mpophomeni as a Wikipedia page, as the “Zulu Tourism Experience”, or as that place after Midmar. Sure, we might know a few people from Mpophomeni, but that’s as far as it goes. That’s as far as we go. 

Enter Makhubalo Ikaneng, aka Makhubalo the Storyteller. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen Twitchers arrive at a “mega bird sighting” before. I have. My friend, we call him the Pat Lambie of the birding world, is an ornithologist, and he has video gold of some such scenes. Khuba arriving at the site of a story is very similar. Lots of tyre screeching, dust… It’s a vibe. That’s how we renamed him the Storyhunter – the artist formerly known as Makhubalo the Storyteller. 

Khuba immersed himself in Mpophomeni and found the Shine Mpophomeni stories. Once he’d established rapport, we joined him following the dust cloud of his car wheels as he hurtled towards the voices he wanted us to meet. 

Thus began the journey to Shine Mpophomeni… 

There are days in one’s life that stand out, especially as a writer. This particular winter’s day felt like one of those moments where something is so beautiful that you don’t want to photograph it for fear that you’ll tarnish the beauty and break the magic. Your job in that moment, is simply to savour it, and to bank it in your memory. 

When I got home, of course I tried to capture what I experienced. Here are some abbreviated snapshots of the ten ordinary-extraordinary people who form Shine Mpophomeni… 

Dumisani Ndlovu aka The Whistling Guitarist

Dumisani is a familiar face because of his busking and whistling in public spaces. While taking his photograph, a chap who works at the amphitheatre comes to have a look at what’s going on. 

“This guy… He inspired me to play the guitar. I don’t have a guitar anymore but I used to play at church.” He looks at Dumisani with respect and awe. 

Frank Mchunu aka Mr Tourism

Frank gets out of his car with crutches and a big smile. He shouts excitedly over towards Khuba and moves with determined purpose,

“What props are we going to use?”

Frank disappears and comes back with a spear and shield, they’re really the only option for Frank. 

Thabiso Cebisa

Thabiso comes out of his house ready for action in a sports tracksuit and peak cap. Only a few years ago did I learn that men’s netball is growing in popularity, and Thabiso is one of the team’s stars. Thabiso is young and enthusiastic and he proudly tells us that he’s going to be on SuperSport at 11 am because he commentated on a school football match at Hilton College over the weekend.

While we’re there, his mother comes out of the house carrying two netballs to choose from. 

Londeka Khumalo 

Behind a smallish kiosk with four sewing machines and an overlocker is Londeka. The sign above the kiosk tells us she makes school uniforms to make children shine. In the pigeon holes in the shop, you can see varying sizes of hopes and dreams from XS to XXL and in an array of popular school colours… Maroon, navy, that familiar red. 

Thobile Queen

Khuba gets a scolding as we pull up to Queen’s garage. Apparently, we’re late. She tells us it’s quarter to twelve already, but actually it’s only quarter to eleven. When we correct her she laughs as if testing us… 

Queen is a sangoma and a hairdresser and she wears both titles with pride. Jono tries out a few combinations with props. I wish we’d brought a crown and a throne with us. 

Thandi Ntombela

Ms Ntombela greets us as we enter Inkanyiso Daycare Centre, a special needs school. She’s wearing a long grey coat and shiny patent shoes. It’s like she’s a character in an African Disney movie that I start imagining the plot for.  

Khuba tells us she’s Orlando Pirate’s biggest fan. 

Thandi poses with a few props, but afterwards, when we’re talking to her, we realise that her hands are her props… 

We use those instead. 

Busisiwe Mkhize

Gogo Busisiwe has an intimidating Boerboel-cross at her gate. Busisiwe comes out to greet us and shout at her dog who obediently skulks off. 

We must go inside her house because she has lots to show us… She disappears and returns several times with plastic bags filled with her intricate beadwork. As fast as she shows us one thing, she retreats to find something else she’s just reminded herself she has. 

Beforehand, Khuba told us Gogo is old and doesn’t like moving around too much, but obviously, her beadwork is a kind of green lantern. 

Bongeka Precious Cebekhulu

Bongeka doesn’t like the camera even though she’s a dramatist. Jono snaps a few shots and then suggests she try to perform something. 

Bongeka seems horrified. But then an invisible spotlight shines on her. In a tired metaphor of a phoenix rising from the ashes, Bongeka is transformed. Her face and voice are perfectly synchronised. It’s brief. Over in an instant. A performance in a dusty car park on a dry winter’s day. 

Andisa Dlamini

Andisa’s proud mother invites us in and we notice their furniture looks like toffees and chocolates. Andisa’s small daughter is playing and eyeing us with interest. 

Andisa dreams of having her own bakery and there’s chatter about moving out of Mpophomeni. Her mother’s advice is to stay because of the community.

Andisa smiles… She wants her bakery to be pink. We leave with so much more than just a box of doughnuts. 

Muzi Ndlela

We already know Muzi so we walk into his studio and immediately start scanning his latest pieces. On the easel is a canvas that I’m sure is his best yet. 

Muzi is from another planet when it comes to being centred and chilled and his quiet gentleness disguises the fact that he’s a master. He tells us about his latest youth project in Mpophomeni, which he’s more excited about than the recent exhibitions he’s been at. 

Jono gets his shots and as if on cue a gang of goats comes marching towards us. 

“Those are the goats coming to collect their royalties, Muzi!” Khuba shouts with delight. 

I snortle. They really look as if they’re coming in hot for their cash. 

So we had the stories, now we needed the artists. 

“We need MotelSeven and BushyWopp for this. We have to get them here.“

You may be thinking, “Why do you need artists from Cape Town, we have artists here?” and “Won’t they cost the unofficial arm-and-a-leg currency of the Midlands?”

MotelSeven and BushyWopp are artists with a unique way of seeing and representing people, and we wanted their distinct styles to bring these portraits to life in a way that captures the real and the magic… But, our vision is also to curate an art experience that combines local talent, with South African talent, and international talent, because this is important for the future of this project, potential for funding, etc. And as they say, “Variety is the Aromat of life.” And, as a full disclaimer, the Cape Town artists weren’t paid more, even though coffee is more expensive there.  

Fortunately, MotelSeven and BushyWopp were amped to join the bonkers adventure (provided they could see monkeys and have some reprieve from the Cape Town rain). For once, Hilton stayed dry(ish). The monkeys obviously came to the party.      

What happened next can be summarised as: 

• We fetched MotelSeven from the airport and chatted so much that we ended up close to Margate. 
• Jono, MotelSeven, and BushyWopp selected their characters to design and paint. 
• MotelSeven was here for just under a month and BushyWopp for about a week. 
• Please don’t ask BushyWopp about renewing his driver’s licence at Mkondeni. 
• We ordered a lot of paint. 
• We organised a lot of paint. 
• Paint everywhere. 
• A lot of paint was mixed. 
• MASSIVE Thank you to Blake from Hilton BuildIt, Chris from Hilton Fence Works, Slade from Midlands Exterior Cleaning, Vince and Mbuso for being Rad Guys, the Love Howick team, and the Cheerleaders who brought snacks.
• There was a lot of painting.
• There were a lot of inspired and delighted pedestrians and motorists who kept the artists buzzing and energised. 
• So much hooting.
• It turns out you can’t stop artists from painting… After a “last night” at Crossways Jono, MotelSeven, and BushyWopp woke up to end up under another secret bridge painting Samurais. Excitable kids.
• We now have ten portraits of ten beautiful people. 

So what’s next? Shine Mpophomeni is part of the BOOMTOWN Story Tour and we’re currently working with local podcaster Thembelani from Black Page Media to bring the walls to life through an exciting magical realism podcast featuring local voices. 

We’re linked to this project because it has shown us about potential, community-building, and the biggness and smallness of dreams. Our dream is for everyone to shine, and for the Midlands to shine. We want to show that this area is magic… Even when it’s hard. Reality is magic, and magic is reality. 

As for timelines? Well, this year Jackal & Hide has decided that we’re finishing what we started. There’s lots to do, and we want everything to be perfect, and it’s actually happening… One word and brushstroke at a time.