Banele Njadayi was born in Makhanda in 1981, eventually moving to Port Elizabeth where he now works as a practicing artist. He initially garnered recognition for his unusual use of oil paints on zinc, often embellishing these works with rivets, nuts and bolts, and welded pieces of metal. 

Njadayi makes use of vibrant colours to create a distinctive impression of energy and movement in his paintings. They are almost documentary-like, in the sense that his subjects often appear to be going about their business unaware that they are being observed. His works offer a glimpse into the daily life of poor to working class black communities in the Eastern Cape, capturing their hopes, desires, and strength. 

These signature traits are very much apparent in Sis Ncesh (Washing Dishes), where the titular Sis is depicted in the midst of vigorously scrubbing dishes in a green plastic basin at a pre-school facility. The painting serves as a reminder that so many South Africans are still making do without the luxury of running water in their homes or schools.