Mandla Koboka trained under Ephraim Ngatane and Cecil Skotnes in painting. He created paintings, but his most well-known works were charcoal, ink, watercolor, and oil paintings. His artwork mostly dealt with life in the townships, showing people going about their daily lives in abstract, vibrant colors. Through his paintings, Koboka invented a palette knife method that gave his works a grainy, heavy surface aspect. Koboka took part in both solo and group exhibits on multiple occasions. His work was shown at shows in Austria and the United States as well as the 1981 “Black Art Today Exhibition” in Soweto. His works are held in numerous public and private collections, including the University of Fort Hare.