Former Herald cartoonist Mark Wiggett loses battle with cancer

His drawings may have been black and white, but the colourful career of award-winning cartoonist Mark Wiggett that spanned more than four decades will live on in his comical works of art.

Wiggett, 71, cartoonist for The Herald and Weekend Post since 2007, lost his battle with cancer early on Wednesday morning.

“He was unbelievably brave, right to the end,” his wife Sandy, 70, said.

Born in Gqeberha in 1950, Wiggett attended boarding school in Graaff-Reinet, matriculating from Union High School in 1969.

He studied art at the PE Technikon (now Nelson Mandela University) before moving to Johannesburg, where he worked as a freelance cartoonist for close to three decades.

In 2004 he moved to Knysna and in 2007 he joined The Herald and Weekend Post as the editorial cartoonist.

His illustrious career included four regional Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards, among other accolades.

“He had an incredible sense of humour and ability to think outside the box,” Sandy said.

“Other than his work and his family, music was his great passion, specifically drumming.”

Having played for several bands over the years, Wiggett’s crowning achievement as a musician was drumming for the curtain-raiser for Chris de Burgh when he toured SA in the early 1980s.

The Herald and Weekend Post editor Rochelle de Kock said Wiggett would be remembered for finding the funny side in serious situations.

“Mark was a creative who dedicated many years of his career contributing to The Herald and Weekend Post, even winning awards along the way for his work,” she said.

“With his cartoons, he was always able to capture the mood of the country and use his talent to find some light in times of gloom.

“Mark was a household name known by our readers over the years, and his absence has been felt as some of our readers queried over the last few months why he no longer contributed to our titles.

“We knew that it was important for Mark to spend the last months with his family.”

He stopped producing cartoons for the newspapers in March, shortly after his diagnosis. 

“As The Herald, we would like to thank Mark’s family for allowing him to be part of our lives for so many years. He was truly a legend,” De Kock said.

Besides his wife, Mark leaves three sons, three daughters and six grandchildren.

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