Maciti Rocks turns problems into solutions one masterpiece at a time

Mr Mandla Mhlanga is using his talent to teach others to be employers instead of job seekers.

With only his hands, he turns old, used tyres into furniture that will last for generations to come.

Self-taught and passionate about recycling, he is of the belief that one can turn any situation and make it beneficial to one self.

Mandla took his ideology a step further and began a group in 2014 that equips the youth of Wesselton, specifically his area, Everest Park, with the skills to join him in his venture to use recyclable waste and become self-employed.

With limited resources at his disposal, the group goes round the Wesselton township, showcasing his art, teaching anyone who cares to listen about the impact of land pollution and ways and means to change the problem into a solution to benefit the community at large.

At this time Maciti Rocks was formed. It is a group of artists that use any medium they can find to create works of art which they showcase and sell to generate an income.

It began with only three members, Mandla Mhlanga, Sipho Mkhatshwa and Nokuthula Magagula, who perform at tourist stalls and popular art shows and festivals around the province and nationally.

The group also takes it upon themselves to teach anyone who is willing to learn how to turn disposed of metal waste into art.

“We cannot wait for jobs to come to us,” said Mandla.

A product of Lindile Secondary School, Mandla saw his peers go to institutions of higher learning which he could not afford to go to, and which prompted his need and passion to explore every avenue possible to sustain his cost of living.

Also watch: [VIDEO] MEC for Education visits the Lindile Secondary School in Wesselton to check on progress

The group can be found at various dumpsites, rummaging through waste for materials to manipulate and incorporate into masterpieces.

“We began with tyres that we found at landfills and local garages to create indoor and outdoor furniture,” Mandla said.

Sipho is a self-taught artist who uses pens, pencils and paint to capture every emotion and colour on his canvass.

His speciality is portraits and he has the uncanny ability to capture the human form to appear lifelike on paper.

The team is well-known in tourism circles around the province, having represented Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM) at various exhibitions, including the Ithebe Art Exhibition at the Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg.

Since their work intertwines with re-cycling and re-using, the group works closely with GSDM to tackle environmental issues.

“It is heartbreaking to see illegal dumpsites sprouting up all over Wesselton and we want to educate the masses on how we can change all that and to use waste to benefit the community,” said Mandla.

Maciti Rocks has a lot of goals to achieve in the near future.

Their ultimate dream is to have a gallery in Msukaligwa where local artists can showcase their work.

“There are many talented people in Wesselton and the surrounding towns and all they need is a platform,” Mandla concluded.