Mpumalanga is preparing to honour one of its greatest cultural icons as Dr Esther Mahlangu, the internationally acclaimed Ndebele artist, celebrates her 90th birthday today.
To ensure that her day is well celebrated, a grand provincial party is set to take place on Friday at Kghodwana Cultural Village near Middelburg, where government departments, artists, and the private sector will gather to salute a woman who has turned traditional Ndebele art into a global symbol of African pride.
Department spokesperson Sibongile Nkosi said the celebration, themed #90YearsOfDrEstherMahlangu, will be a fitting tribute to the living legend’s lifelong contribution to preserving and promoting South African culture.
“We’re pulling out all the stops to celebrate the milestone of our national treasure and to honour her contribution to the arts,” Nkosi said.
Dr Mahlangu has spent more than seven decades sharing her heritage through bold geometric patterns and vivid colours that have graced galleries and brands across the world.
Her work, rooted in the sacred walls of Ndebele homesteads, has transcended borders—painted on a BMW in 1991, featured in Belvedere Vodka campaigns, and celebrated through collaborations with international stars such as John Legend.
Her murals and designs have appeared in the Smithsonian Museum, the British Museum, and most recently on a street in New York named in her honour, complete with a mural inspired by her art.
In 2018, the University of Johannesburg conferred an honorary doctorate on her, cementing her place among South Africa’s cultural giants.
Nkosi said the provincial government will celebrate Mahlangu’s legacy and lifetime achievements with a programme that reflects her artistic journey and the cultural heritage she continues to inspire.
The upcoming celebration promises to be a kaleidoscope of colour, rhythm, and pride—a heartfelt tribute to a woman who painted South Africa’s soul onto the world’s canvas.
