Renowned Cartoonist Moves to Cape Town to Finish Life’s Work

Mogorosi Motshumi to Complete His Autobiography and Boxing Legend Biography

Veteran South African cartoonist Mogorosi Motshumi, known for his profound impact on graphic literature, is relocating from Bloemfontein to Cape Town to complete two major works. At 70 years old, Motshumi is determined to finish his autobiography and a biography of boxing legend Jacob “Jake” Ntuli.

Motshumi has lived much of his life in the township of Batho, Bloemfontein, but has struggled to focus due to the constant distractions of township life. With his home sandwiched between a school, a tavern, and a church, he faces noise from early-morning taxis, loud music, and other disturbances. “Township life is township life,” he says, “and it’s hard to work when the environment is so noisy.”

Cape Town represents peace for Motshumi, having previously spent time there as a guest artist in the Greatmore Studios residency program. There, he completed the first part of his autobiography, The Initiation, which became a significant work in South African literature. It is considered the first graphic autobiography by a South African and a rare graphic memoir in the country.

The book recounts Motshumi’s childhood in Batho, his activism in the aftermath of the Soweto uprising, and his beginnings as a cartoonist in the 1980s. The struggles of his personal life—failed relationships, addiction, and an HIV diagnosis—are woven into the narrative.

Despite living amidst the chaos of Batho, Motshumi, a quietly determined man, has continued to create art, even while grappling with eyesight issues. “I work all the time, stopping only to sleep or when I need to run errands,” he says. His biggest fear is dying before completing his works. “I know artists who died leaving work unfinished, and I don’t want that to be my story.”

Motshumi is also working on the biography of Jacob Ntuli, a renowned South African boxer. Ntuli made history as the first Black South African to win the Empire Championship after securing multiple titles in South Africa. Motshumi, who befriended Ntuli in the 1980s, feels compelled to tell the boxer’s remarkable story.

Currently, Motshumi does not have a publisher lined up for his work, but his goal is to pull together the parts of his autobiography and other projects to publish them as a unified, consolidated work. Despite the challenges he has faced, Motshumi’s passion for his craft remains unwavering.

This move to Cape Town symbolizes Motshumi’s final push to finish his life’s work and ensure that his stories—both personal and historical—are told.