By Katlego Rammusa:
For decades, Tuks Senganga has been a familiar voice in South African music.
Now, the Motswako heavyweight is telling his stories in a different language – through charcoal, paint, visual art and cultural expression.
Born Tumelo Kepadisa, the acclaimed musician, songwriter and producer is proving that his creativity extends far beyond the recording studio. With a background in Fine Arts and Multimedia from Wits Technikon, Kepadisa has returned to another of his artistic passions: visual storytelling.
Working mainly in charcoal and mixed media, his work explores African identity, heritage, memory and everyday life, transforming social experiences into striking visual narratives.
For Kepadisa, art is not simply about creating beautiful pictures. It is about starting conversations.
His journey has moved effortlessly between music, writing, radio, visual art and cultural production.
As Tuks Senganga, he became one of the recognised voices of the Motswako movement, building a catalogue that includes six albums – Mafoko a Me, MC Prayer, Monopoly, Tshwanelo, Footprints and Botshe Botshe.
His music has earned recognition from the South African Music Awards, Metro FM, Hype Magazine, South African Hip Hop Awards and South African Traditional Music Awards.
But behind the celebrated musician is also an experienced writer and producer.
Between 2018 and 2023, Kepadisa was part of the imaging team at Motsweding FM, working on copywriting, production and voice-over projects.
His inspiration remains rooted in ordinary South Africans and the realities of everyday life.
Kepadisa is now using his experience across the creative industries to build something bigger.
He is the founder of Motswvko Culture, a creative production and media house focused on celebrating African creativity through music, art and cultural experiences.
The platform has already been involved in projects including Culture Nights, Motswako go tswa ga Lowe Live Sessions and the Diphetogo Fine Art Exhibition.
Through Diphetogo, Kepadisa is also creating opportunities for emerging artists while using exhibitions as platforms for dialogue and social impact.
While his visual art is gaining attention, Kepadisa has not abandoned music.
His latest projects include the BALANCE EP, SEEDLESS EP and CORNER PEACE AND LOVE, showing that the artist continues to push himself creatively.
With a social media following of more than 200 000 people across platforms, his audience continues to follow his evolution from Motswako pioneer to multidisciplinary creative.
For Tuks Senganga, the journey appears to have entered a new phase.
The microphone may have introduced him to millions, but the canvas is giving him another way to tell the stories that have always inspired him.
From beats to brushstrokes, Tuks Senganga is proving that a true artist does not have just one voice – he has many. – @NewsSA_Online
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