The Heritage Award — Premier of KwaZulu-Natal

In 2007, Dr Esther Mahlangu received The Heritage Award from the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, recognising her role in the preservation and promotion of South African heritage and culture.

The award honoured Dr Mahlangu's lifelong dedication to keeping Ndebele mural painting a living tradition — not a relic, but a practice carried forward across generations. It joined a growing list of provincial and national honours recognising her as a custodian of South Africa's cultural heritage.