He is a senior lecturer at the University of Fort Hare, renowned for his passion for fine arts education and African visual culture. He achieved his PhD at the University of Fort Hare’s East London Campus. His graduation was widely celebrated, with prominent publications like the Daily Dispatch and Drum Magazine highlighting his academic triumphs and contributions to the fine arts.

In his biography, The Cultural Chronicles of COVID-19, the moving narration is set in the Eastern Cape, and Dr. Potelwa recounts his academic journey amidst the backdrop of familial love and loss. Raised by both parents, he grapples with the passing of his father, navigating the delicate balance between tradition and modernity. As COVID-19 reshapes norms, he reflects on its unexpected impact on cultural rituals. But when his mother passes, he faces a profound dilemma: uphold tradition or yield to familial pressure for a lavish casket burial. A gripping narrative of heritage, identity, and the enduring struggle to honour the past while embracing the future.