The last One Man Show - of Enoch Mandlenkosi Tshabalala

In loving memory Funeral programme of the late Enoch Mandlenkosi Tshabalala Born: 08 December 1941 Died: 29 July 2015 Date: 8 August 2015 The last One Man Show - Obituary Enoch Mandlenkosi Tshabalala was the second born. Born under the cosmic Sagittarius star sign on the 08th December 1941 in Balfour, Mpumalanga to the loving beautiful couple namely; Lesiah his mother and the formidable Elijah Tshabalala his father. His late brother was Albert Mafika Tshabalala the first born. In 1945, his family moved to Johannesburg when he was four years old. They first moved into the popular Kliptown township - on the periphery of Johannesburg were the Freedom Charter was written, and settled Masakeni, in Moroka - later in Soweto in Zola 2, in the year that it was established. Soon, after this Tshabalala contracted Polio. After treatment at the Johannesburg General Hospital, he was bedridden for a long time. This was a major set-back in terms of his schooling life. When he regained the use of his arms, his mother brought him coloured crayons and paper, and he began to draw his surroundings which showed his hidden artistic talent. He also took a keen interest in music. In 1959, and later he became instrumental in the formation of a music group, the Moroka Bright Boys, and they also premiered in shows for the Manhattan Brothers; he loved jazz and gospel music. A neat and fine dresser, who chose only the best, ask those who know him very well. His career spanned five decades in the arts and craft field. He was employed to paint Curios in an Art & Craft store, where he met his longtime colleague the late Durant Sihlali. He was later encouraged to study under the late famous artist Cecil Skotnes at the Polly Street Art Centre where most Soweto’s budding artists crafted their skills – due to apartheid laws they could not study in white’s only Colleges of Art and Universities. A major influence on his artistic career was his meeting with the late Dumile Feni and Durant Sihlali, in 1964, and after this his style of art shifted towards Feni’s to a notable degree, this is evident in the Expressionism in a couple of artworks by Tshabalala. In 1980 he got married to the ever loving beautiful daughter of the Meso family – Sibongile Margaret Tshabalala who was the love and support of his life through thick and thin situations of their life, she looked after him from the day they met right to the last days. She gave him the most beautiful family of four boys, right from Nhlanhla, Siyabonga, Sicelo and Mduduzi. He loved them with all his heart. He thanked God that he had the rare opportunity to steal hugs and kisses from his grand-children’s innocent and smashingly gorgeous little faces – right from Ntokozo, Thando and Lungelo. He continued to live and work in Soweto, Zola 2, until he met his untimely death. Tshabalala started sketching and drawing the people around him, and the birds and trees he saw looking out his window. He worked well with all mediums, but prefered watercolour and acrylics. Tshabalala has participated in many group exhibitions throughout Cape Town and Johannesburg. His work is found in several corporate art collections in and around South Africa, as well as in private collections around the world. And to add more challenge, Enoch added taxi signwriting, with some creative flare using his now famous ‘Umbhalo ohlangene’ a reference to the cursive writing that has become his trade mark or brand style. Malebese is one of the corporate NPO’s he painted for, including Shandu’s Taxis, Mr. Mazibuko’s Taxis, and the Faraday Taxi Association where he wrote nearly all their taxis including the Dorjota Taxi Association – later due to ill health one of his sons assisted him in the signwriting jobs. Lala ngoxolo, Dvonga. Mabuza, Mshengu Tshabalala Ludvonga lwaMavuso waNgwane Sidvwaba sil’thuli Singaba Mtolo, sifute ekhabonyoko Sithi sibancwaba beza naMlandzakati, Nine baseMhlongamvula, enathi uMhlangamvula udilikile Kanti benemanga boTshabalala, bafihl’ indod’ emsamo Bentel’ abantfwana babafokatane bezabalele Bet(z)a behlab’ emva nangembili Sithi bayeta baphelel’ endleleni Smahla’ esihle esimabizwa yiNdlovu Oyay’ eMbo wabuyelela Lowacedza LuBombo ngokuhlehletela Nahlokota timbhil’ emgedzeni Taphuma tasabalala busaphalala Nkonkoni enhle yaseMangwaneni naseMavaneni Oval’ isibaya ngamakhand' amadoda, Abanye bavala ngamahlahla Simancamanca mathang' amahle Ngathi awentombazane Nkonjan’ emhlophe edlalel’ emafini Engabonwa muntu, kodvwa Mswati kuphela Awucedvwa Mshengu