He lives road safety work through his art…

Multi-talented Zulu brings hope to the hopeless

MUSA Zulu (33) who is on the wheel chair following a car crash personifies road safety awareness work in South Africa through his many talents and work of art.

When elderly people talk of God as an all-knower who has a purpose with the life of his creatures, it seems like they are talking about people like Zulu.

After having worked as a senior manager with the KZN Department of Transport for several years – specializing in road safety awareness, he now focuses on his inner calling as an independent writer, visual artist and a motivational speaker.

But the subject of his work has not changed. He writes and draws pictures that depict themes that include road safety, transportation as well as human and organizational development.

Referring to one of the two pictures that have already been bought by the KZN Department of Transport to honor the province’s former Transport Minister who is now the Premier, Mr S’bu Ndebele, Zulu said:

"I draw pictures that talk about our journey as a people in KwaZulu Natal – pictures that show our province’s hero, the Honourable Mr Ndebele reviving the spirit of past Zulu Kings like King Shaka in our hearts as a conqueror and developer of the lives of the people."

"I draw pictures that show symbols of development like the grader – the grader is not used to build roads only, it is also used to lay a foundation to build clinics, community hall, schools, you name it – it symbolizes development in its entity," he said.

Zulu’s pictures include the ones called Shattered glass, shattered lives - don’t drink and drive. He produces pictures that talk about the need for effective communication in organizations or institutions that serve society well like the Department of Transport.

Pointing at a picture called Implementation, Zulu explains: "To me the feather represents the pen and that’s policy, that’s the planning phase. But that phase is not enough without the spade, which represents action; actually carrying out the plans as shaped by policy. If policy says we must empower people, then let’s see them working on the road as they do under the KZN Department of Transport."

Other pictures cover themes like pedestrian safety, Omela Ngasekhaya (Drink nearer home), Child in Traffic, Community Road Safety Councils, Zero Tolerance, consequences of speeding on the road, empowering women, organizational development and labour relations.

Zulu says he gets a lot of orders from people wanting him to draw pictures of themselves and their families. He lives with his wife, Jabu, and their one-year-old baby girl, in 64 Thornhurst Drive, Bisley (Pietermaritzburg). He can be contacted on 033-3460429 or 083 3488729.

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