Wanda’s mission to find 1000 followers will help his art grow beyond Cape Town’s Company Gardens.
Company Gardens, Cape Town (01 September 2025) – If you’ve strolled through the Company Gardens, you might’ve spotted Wanda before, standing in front of colourful paintings, calling you in to cast a closer eye.
His beautiful work captures glimpses of local rural and urban life, the Big 5, and scenes from city streets unique only to Africa. He’s already somewhat famous amongst tourists who often stop, have a chat, and leave with a piece of Africa tucked under their arm.
“My art work is mainly a mix of acrylic and oil paint, with a lot of texture on canvas. I use a lot of vibrant colours bold strokes. [My] work mostly features the day to day African lives…full of life, hope, love, passion and intimate moments,” says Wanda.
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Wanda was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1973. He attained a diploma in Applied Arts at the Bulawayo Polytechnic and exhibited at the Bulawayo Art Gallery after completing his Diploma. He then moved on to showing his work at Delta Art Gallery and Chapungu Art Gallery in Harare, as well as at the Harare International Arts Festival
In 2006, he and his family relocated to Cape Town, where they still live today. There, he has exhibited at the Artscape, and at private galleries in Sea Point and Newlands. Usually, you’ll find him doing what he does best right at the entrance of Company Gardens.
Wanda isn’t the first in his family to create.
His grandmother wove traditional isiZulu icansi mats from grass and thread. His brother paints, too. And now his son JC joins him in the Gardens, displaying his own work alongside his dad’s.
Art, in this family, is a lifeline and a legacy.
Being a street artist in Cape Town isn’t easy, though. Western Cape weather doesn’t spare canvases. And without a big online presence, getting your name out there is tough, even for an artist like Wanda who has studied, graduated and been in the game for years.
That’s why Wanda has set himself an ambitious goal to reach 1,000 followers online.
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He’s already cracked it on TikTok. On Instagram, he’s less than 500 away. And for him, every single follow counts. More followers means more visibility. More commissions. More chances to keep painting.
African art has always focused on storytelling. Holding memory, celebrating culture, and showing the world who we are. Wanda does all of that. His paintings carry hope, love, and magic in ordinary every day moments that make life feel warm and full of colour.
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If you’re in Cape Town, go meet Wanda and JC. See the work, feel the vibe, and maybe even take a piece home. If you’re not, give him a follow on Instagram or TikTok.
A quick click can help keep his dream alive. Plus, you’ll see Wanda’s bright smile pop up on your feed every now and then. Let’s help him hit 1000.
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