Ferlov Mancoba
1936-02-06
Sender
N. J. van Warmelo
Document content
The document is a transcription of the original letter by Elza Miles and given to Ernest Mancoba. It speaks of the South African government's desire to commission Ernest Mancoba as a government artist, firstly for the Empire Exhibition (Johannesburg 1936).
Transcription
(transcription by W. Sze)
6 February 1936
Van Warmelo to acting Commissioner of Native Affairs in Cape Town
6 February 1936
Van Warmelo to acting Commissioner of Native Affairs in Cape Town
“…we require a number of models of Natives and cattle for our exhibition. The cutting gave us the idea that Mancoba might be a suitable person to supply us with these. I should be glad if you could sound him as to whether he might be prepared to come to Pretoria in the near future (say 1st Apr) to do this work. At present we have a vacancy for a Native storeman at £5 per month maximum & it is thought that if Mancoba could do all this carving in his spare time it would be possible to offer him this position. This would have the advantage that he would remain in fairly good permanent employment. If, on the other hand, he should require all his time for carving, he would be paid approximately the same rate, but his employment would cease with the commencement of the exhibition, though it will no doubt be possible to find some other position for him after that. Should he agree he would of course be supplemented with a Rail warrant.
In view of the urgency of this matter, I shall be glad if you will give it your early attention”
(newspaper cutting enclosed)
In view of the urgency of this matter, I shall be glad if you will give it your early attention”
(newspaper cutting enclosed)
