Lizo Pemba

Lizo Pemba was born at 34 Dubula Street in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He comes from a rich artistic lineage—his father, Titus Keke Pemba, introduced him to the basics of watercolour painting, while his grandfather, the late Dr. George M.M. Pemba, was a renowned South African artist whose legacy continues to inspire Lizo’s creative path.

Lizo began drawing at a young age, developing his skills by copying images from magazines and creating works from imagination. During his school years, he became known as a cartoonist, especially during the turbulent period of political unrest in South Africa.

Due to political pressure from the apartheid security forces, Lizo left South Africa and joined Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), and was based in Angola. While in the military camps, he collaborated with other artists to produce posters, banners, and graphic artworks for the movement. He was later stationed at the ANC printing shop in Luanda, where he created illustrations, political cartoons, and emblems for the ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

During his time in Angola, Lizo was commissioned to paint a portrait of SWAPO President Sam Nujoma, which was officially presented by the ANC’s National Executive Committee in Lusaka to the SWAPO leadership. Recognizing his talent, the ANC sent Lizo to Zimbabwe to formally study fine art. Upon returning to South Africa in 1991, he enrolled at the University of Fort Hare in 1992 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts. Under the mentorship of the late Professor Mike Halier, he excelled in painting, graduating with distinction.

While studying, Lizo illustrated books for Lovedale Press and received several private art commissions in Alice and Cape Town. In 1996, he joined the Eastern Cape Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture, where he worked to promote visual arts and crafts throughout the region. Lizo has participated in numerous group exhibitions and held two solo exhibitions—one at Highberry Art Gallery, then owned by Cathy Binell, and another in 2009 at the Red Location Museum. In 2005, he was featured in a two-man exhibition at African Feeling Gallery. His work has been profiled in multiple television documentaries, including one in Johnny Clegg’s 'Country Imagine' series.

Today, Lizo Pemba continues to use his art to reflect on history, identity, and the enduring spirit of South Africa.