Thandiwe Ithandile Sibisi is a South African artgallery owner and former model. Sibisi is renowned for her cultural activism in South Africa. At 25, Sibisi became the first black female to ever own an art gallery in South Africa. She was born the daughter of farmers, and initially moved to Johannesburg to be a model. However she now runs four separate businesses, including the art gallery for which she is so widely acclaimed.
Early life and education
Sibisi was born on November 4, 1986, in Estcourt, to Siphiwo Sibisi and Sizeni MaMncube Sibisi. Sibisi has three sisters, and four brothers. Sibisi is the last born of nine children. Sibisi grew up in Weenen, a town well-known for its faction fighting. Sibisi states that her family once had 12 men die on her front yard. Sibisi and her family moved to Ladysmith when she was 7-years-old to escape the war in Weenen. Sibisi's parents were corn and cattle farmers. Sibisi grew up herding cows and tending to the corn fields with her mother. Sibisi credits this time as her best years, and her mother, her best teacher, "She instilled in me a deep profound love for Africa. She told me stories about the history of a glorious continent and taught me to love it and serve it always." At the age of 12, Sibisi moved to Utrecht to live with her oldest sister, a prison social worker, in a maximum security prison called Waterval Prison. Sibisi lived here for four years. At 16 years of age, Sibisi witnessed her brother's tragic death while farming, when the tractor he was driving lost control and ploughed down the Klipriver, killing him instantly. Struggling to come to terms with her brother's death Sibisi's mother decided to relocate her to Estcourt to live with another one of her sister and to finish school, in Estcourt High School. Sibisi finished high school at age 17 and moved to Johannesburg. Sibisi studied Business Management at the University of Johannesburg, however, she dropped out after one year, to start a business. At age 18, Sibisi started a marketing company, Invogue Concepts, with the aim to promote African arts and culture to the world. In 2017, Sibisi enrolled at the University of South Africa to study towards a Law degree. She is currently completing an Honours degree in LLB.
Career
Early in her career Sibisi struggled to get her marketing company to take off. She describes this time as a blessing in disguise, "It was character development. I learned to rely on myself, as I was always alone persuing the impossible. I am grateful for this time because it taught me humility." At age 22, Sibisi's career began to take off, when she moved to Mahikeng, to work within the government. At age 25, Sibisi became the first black woman to own an art gallery in South Africa, when she opened her art gallery, Sibisi Gallery at the Melrose Arch in Johannesburg. Sibisi runs several other businesses including a charitable organisation named Sibisi Foundation which promotes women rights. Sibisi's key concern involves the human rights issue of Ukuthwala where girls as young as 11-years-old are abducted and forced into child marriage.
Personal life
Sibisi is a cultural activist and attributes her beliefs to African spirituality, to which she advocates.
