The Swazi folk painter Lucas Mlambo (1959- ) whose work, View of Sidwashini, is held in the Standard Bank Collection, is never at a loss for subject matter. He delights in telling the simple stories of how people live and what they do in town and country.

He does so in bright flat colour, in incorrect perspective and with awkwardly drawn figures in paintings like Washing Day – Manzini and Nhlangano Town, Mshengu Street, but it’s this untrained and unrestrained way of seeing that makes these paintings so thoroughly charming. Read more »

Up until now you may have thought that debating was for the socially awkward kids in school, the ones that were often the brunt of playground jokes. But let me tell you, debaters know about cool, and they know how to explain it to you too! They work hard, they play hard and they’re super smart too. Read more »

Get up at the crack of dawn (or earlier). Get yourself and the kids ready for school. Drop the kids off. Arrive at work and run straight into a meeting. Skip lunch because you have to pop past the dry cleaners to pick up your hubby’s suit. Work late as you chase that deadline. Leave to fetch the kids from school. Run into the shops to get something for dinner. Get home and start dinner. Help the kids with their art projects. Wash the dishes and put a load of washing on. Climb into bed and get ready to do it all again in six hours. Read more »

Computers and development around information technology are taken for granted nowadays. Back when everything was recorded in handwriting, the introduction of the typewriter was probably met with as much excitement (and trepidation) as was the personal computer in more recent history.

This year, Standard Bank Group celebrates 120 years of it embracing technology. It was then that the first typewriter. Over the years some pretty weird-looking technology made its way into the offices and branches. Read more »