Brümilda Swartbooi
Belinda Hlaka, the curator of Workers’ History at the Workers’ Museum in Newtown, has dedicated 28 years to advancing workers’ rights and cultural heritage in Johannesburg.
She will retire at the end of December 2024, passing on the baton to the next generation after an impactful career with the City of Johannesburg.
Hlaka began her journey with the City in 1996 at Mofolo Art Centre, where she taught children about art and artistic formations and steered community projects. After a decade, she joined Uncle Tom’s Community Centre to develop community care and led a tribute to artists in Joburg. She approached artists who were working during the apartheid era.
This led to the creation of the Tribute to Courage sculpture adjacent to Hector Pieterson’s statue. She also had a stint at the Roodepoort Museum as Curator and at Museum Africa as Curator: Public Programmes.
Hlaka is proud of her contribution to the City. “My career allowed me to make significant contribution to the City’s cultural legacy. The institutions I helped to establish such as Mofolo Arts Centre, Uncle Tom’s and Hector Pieterson will stand as educational heritage pillars for the future generation.”
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that the City has given me and the people I’ve met over the years. I was also able to provide for my children’s education and that also helped me a lot, though this day accomplishment filled me with pride,” she adds.
Born and raised in Kagiso on the West Rand, Hlaka’s love for art began with her uncle, who was passionate about drawing. She went on to earn a Fine Arts Diploma and studied curatorship, becoming part of the first group to study through the First Johannesburg Africus Biennale in 1995. This initiative was crucial in training black South Africans to become curators after the end of apartheid. Hlaka’s career has also been marked by notable achievements, including her nomination for Community Builder of the Year.
In her job, she had the opportunity to travel to Mexico, and she had a placement in the United Kingdom for three months.
She plans to continue community programmes in her community during her retirement. She also plans on painting and exploring her creative side. “As I retire my commitment to this remains strong, because I believe in good governance transparency and fairness.”
SOURCED FROM THE JOBURG WEBSITE.
