About Siya
Siyafunda Online
Soweto-born Siya Masuku ran a 113% successful online crowdfunding campaign in July and August 2016 to launch his own publishing platform, Siyafunda Online. The alphabet book, Siyafunda: isiZulu (2016), has colourful images of lino printed animals.
Awards
2026 National Arts and Culture Awards
Outstanding Graphic & Multimedia Designer — Winner
The National Arts and Culture Awards (NACA) is South Africa’s most prestigious recognition in the creative industry, presented annually by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to honour the country’s top creatives for outstanding artistic and technical achievement.
David Koloane Award
Arts Writing Mentorship — Recipient, 2017
The David Koloane Award celebrates the life and career of Dr David Koloane, internationally respected artist, curator, writer and founder of the Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, and supports emerging South African art writers through mentorship.
Collaborations
Siya has collaborated with Book Dash South Africa to illustrate children’s books; UDaisy Omangalisayo (2015) and Isitsha Samakhekhe Masiwe (2016). With The NICE Magazine, he illustrated the short graphic novel, igugu (2019). Through Puku Children’s Literature Foundation, Siya illustrated and designed the picture book, Mosidi (2020). The graphic novel, KwaNhliziyo-Ngise (2019), written and illustrated by Siya, has been adapted into an animated motion comic, produced by Siyafunda Online and Dipopaai Studios (2020). Ethnikids for Wimpy invited Siya as an illustrator for Naughty Nogwaja (2020).
Siya's Publications
A multi-award-winning artist, Siya has written reviews on arts and has authored and self-published comic books for children and graphic novels for young adults.
