Sun, white sand and beautiful blue surf is one way to describe the beaches of Cape Town. Delighting local and international beachgoers, one talented artist has put two of these aspects to good use, making a living by creating sculptures out of sand. His talent has inspired the City to help him obtain a Special Buskers Permit.
Innocent Zungu uses sand and water to create beautifully-crafted sculptures of horses, mermaids, cars, aeroplanes, Big Five animals, and more. He even makes elaborate seating areas from sand. Through his art form, he shares messages of awareness about fragile marine life and wildlife poaching, especially with his rhino sculptures.
Zungu earns his tips from onlookers on the beach. According to the City’s bylaws however, creatives like Zungu who make a living by showcasing their talent in public require a permit in order to do so legally.
“Here was a gentleman who had brought an art form to the coasts of Cape Town that is not usually known, and more commonly seen on the coasts of Durban,” Councillor Zahid Badroodien, City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Area South, told Cape Talk. “I was quite excited because it’s a new space, it’s a new art and there’s a lot of potential around that.”
The question arose as to whether or not Zungu needs a permit to create his sand sculptures on Cape beaches. “The question becomes then how do we as a city protect him and the art that he’s trying to share with the community,” Badroodien added.
Badroodien said that the permit Zungu requires is The Special Buskers Permit. The city is willing to assist him with acquiring one.
“My engagement will be to assist him in order to attain the Special Busking Permit,” Badroodien said. “I visited him over the weekend and I said to him if you have any problems please come to me.”
Innocent also creates ‘sand-sational’ sculptures on request for birthdays on the beach, as seen below.
To contact Zungu regarding his work, contact him on 0658269758 or via Facebook.
Pictures: Innocent Zungu/ Facebook