Self-taught KwaMashu artist Themba Siwela, who is also a free-lance cartoonist for The Mercury, has been chosen as a finalist in this year’s prestigious Brett Kebble Art Awards.

Siwela’s pastel-on-paper work entitled My Culture, My Culture puts him in line to win R200,000.

A freelance political cartoonist for The Mercury and creator of a monthly strip called Majimbos for Bona magazine, he has worked as an artist, illustrator, muralist and cartoonist and has won several national art competitions, including the first prize in the Trevor Makhoba Legacy exhibition/competition last year.