Thokoza photographer Sibusiso Bheka wins top photography prize at Investec Cape Town Art Fair over the weekend

The widely internationally recognised photographer who is part of photography initiative Of Soul& Joy based in Thokoza, was among five artists who were handsomely recognised for their creativity.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

I have said this before. Several times in fact. And here, I am saying it again. A photographic revolution on the East Rand in Thokoza East of Johannesburg, is silently taking place, shaping the community’s narrative through the yes of young photographers born in that township. This is a township once defined by turf wars between the ANC members of lived in the township match box houses and Inkatha Freedom Party members who lived in the single sext hostels, in the same area. The single sex hostels, which were degrading and stripped these men of their dignity traced their origin from the apartheid days.

However in contemporary South Africa, young photographers from the community are calibrating their own visual narrative about their lives and that of the community at large.

In fact these photographers from a progressive organisation called of Soul & Joy, funded by French money have been doing well internationally for a number of years now. Sadly South Africa is now playing catch up. I guess it is better late than never as they say.

But the thing is this: this talented crop of photographers, almost all of whom are born-frees-meaning that they were born on the eve of the country getting its freedom in 1994, or during the past 30 years of freedom. But they have not forgotten the struggles and the pain suffered by their parents and grandparents under the weight of apartheid. You can all it intergeneration trauma, if you like. They dealing with this trauma in their own ways.

However their photography, which in most cases, puts on a facade of being non-political, such as using fashion photography as a way of expression or portraits of ordinary people in their family set ups, or simply photographing a house wall in the township, putting emphasis on point that the wall often carries a covet message. It separates neighbours from each other, and deters intruders. Granted. But there is another subtle message it carries or at a much nuanced level –contains within whatever is happening in that household, preventing it from spilling out into the community to become a public spectacle or a subject of gossip.

One of the photographers, Sibusiso Bheka, specialises in that kind of visual narrative, and just like several of his colleagues, this powerful portrayal of life in Thokoza through his work has earned him awards, residencies and exhibition opportunities around the world.

He is not stopping, and this time, South Africa is starting to notice him, talk about joining the dinner table late.

Bheka has just won ORMS International Photography Prize at the just ended Investec Cape Town Art Fair, which ended yesterday, Sunday, February 22, 2026. He was represented at the fair by AFRONOVA gallery.

 “The inaugural ORMS International Photography Prize was awarded to Bheka for whose work that proves that photography remains one of the most urgent mediums for engaging with our image-saturated world. The prize also recognises a practice that treats the photographic image not only as documentation, but as a critical, conceptual tool,” Investec Cape Town Art Fair gives the reason why Bheka was awarded this prize.

“The win for me represents hope and also patience,” highlights Bheka.

Awarded to an exhibiting photographer from anywhere in the world, the prize recognises vision, craft and contribution to the photographic arts. The jury-selected winner received a R20,000.00 cash prize together with a Canon image PROGRAF PRO-1100 printer, enabling the production of gallery-quality, archival prints in up to A2 that honour the integrity of each image.

“We wish each prize recipient a hearty congratulations for their well-deserved achievements, and we extend our gratitude to our prize sponsors who make these moments of great importance possible. As we continue through the second day of Investec Cape Town Art Fair, we are delighted to announce the winners of our largest prize selection to date. We are proud to celebrate the artists making significant contributions and groundbreaking strides in global contemporary art.

We wish each prize recipient a hearty congratulations for their well-deserved achievements, and we extend our gratitude to our prize sponsors who make these moments of great importance possible. As we continue through the second day of Investec Cape Town Art Fair, we are delighted to announce the winners of our largest prize selection to date. We are proud to celebrate the artists making significant contributions and groundbreaking strides in global contemporary art.

 We wish each prize recipient a hearty congratulations for their well-deserved achievements, and we extend our gratitude to our prize sponsors who make these moments of great importance possible,” the fair said in a statement.

Keep reading for a full list of each prize winner at the fair’s 13th edition as follows:

RDC Art Collection Award

Winner: Mellaney Rober. She was represented by Berman Contemporary at the fair. The artist considers this as a collective win, “with the community that I grew up with in up in Bobbejaanskloof and in a sense of identity. So, it’s not just for me, but it’s also about taking it back to my community, showing them the appreciation and the hard work that went into excavating their memories, identity, and what land means to us”.

The artist considers this as a collective win, “with the community that I grew up with in up in Bobbejaanskloof and in a sense of identity. So, it’s not just for me, but it’s also about taking it back to my community, showing them the appreciation and the hard work that went into excavating their memories, identity, and what land means to us”.

Tomorrows/Today Prize

Winner: Chidirim Nwaubani

 The Nigerian-British who was represented by Doyle Wham at the art fair carefully infuses art, technology, and cultural reclamation in his practice.

 The Tomorrows/Today Prize, supported by Fiera Milano Exhibitions Africa, is a cash prize awarded to the most exciting artist presentation within the Tomorrows/Today curated section. The annual winner of the prize was selected by an international jury, led by the section’s curator, Dr Mariella Franzoni.

This edition, the curated section responds to the edition’s guiding curatorial concept, Listen. Tomorrows/Today is titled ‘If you listen carefully, the air is full of laughter’ at our 13th edition. The Nigerian-British artist carefully infuses art, technology, and cultural reclamation in his practice.

Jury members: Liese van der Watt, Ugoma Ebilah, and Sean O’Toole.

Materiality Prize In Partnership With Homo Faber

Winner: Amy Rusch

See her work at Suburbia Contemporary, at Booth B7 in Main.

Maria Ribas, Gallery Manager at Suburbia Contemporary, expressed her pride in representing the 2026 winner Amy Rusch: “We are very glad that she won the prize, because she’s working in critical environment discourse”.

 An inaugural prize at our 2026 edition, The Materiality Prize in Partnership with Homo Faber, given to an exhibiting artist from anywhere in the world whose practice reflects innovative materiality, reimagined techniques, and contemporary artisanship.

 The prize winner receives an invitation to participate in the Homo Faber Fellowship Masterclass in Venice, Italy, with flight, accommodation and general costs completely covered. The Homo Faber Fellowship is an eight-month international sponsored craft training programme designed for duos of master artisans and emerging talents. Participants develop business and marketing knowledge, as well as design and hands-on practical skills through transmission from one generation to the next.

 Homo Faber, presented by the Michelangelo Foundation, is a cultural movement centred on creative artisans. Its signature projects are education programmes for the next generations, an international biennial celebration and an online guide.

Investec Emerging Artist Award

Winner: Warren Maroon

Maroon’s sculptures, who was represented by Everard Read, use the detritus of everyday life to create new meaning and beauty, as a visual representation of his lived experience and his upbringing in the Cape Flats.⁠

 The Investec Emerging Artist Award was created to support emerging South African talent on the global stage. Now in its second year, the prize celebrates artists producing world-class art in South Africa, in any medium, who are not affiliated with an institution, museum, or collection