▁of ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁to ▁craft ▁purch as able ▁sou ven irs ▁for ▁the ▁Empire ▁Ex hib ition ▁in ▁Johannes burg ▁later ▁that ▁fall . ▁He ▁initially ▁considered , ▁but ▁eventually ▁refused . ▁ ▁Al ong ▁with ▁other ▁Grace ▁Dieu ▁car vers , ▁Man c oba ▁began ▁exhib iting ▁at ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Academy ▁annual ▁compet itions . ▁By ▁this ▁point ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁friend ▁Ger ard ▁Se k oto ▁began ▁to ▁dream ▁of ▁att ending ▁art ▁school ▁in ▁Europe , ▁for ▁which ▁they ▁needed ▁a ▁B . A . ▁After ▁leaving ▁Grace ▁Dieu ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Native ▁College ▁at ▁Fort ▁H are ▁on ▁scholar ship , ▁he ▁quit ▁car ving ▁for ▁several ▁years . ▁When ▁his ▁funds ▁ran ▁out , ▁he ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁Fort ▁H are ▁and ▁surv ived ▁by ▁producing ▁religious ▁sculpt ures ▁on ▁commission , ▁operating ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁Rh odes ▁University ▁Art ▁Department . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁purs ue ▁art ▁full - time ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁where ▁he ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁T rot sky ite ▁artists , ▁including ▁Li ppy ▁Li ps h itz , ▁who ▁had ▁a ▁strong ▁impact ▁on ▁his ▁emer ging ▁sculpt ure ▁style . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁Grace ▁Dieu ▁re h ired ▁Man c oba ▁to ▁teach ▁English ▁at ▁an ▁affili ate , ▁Kh ais o ▁Second ary ▁School ▁in ▁Piet ers burg . ▁The ▁goal ▁was ▁for ▁Man c oba ▁to ▁ear n ▁a