Mamphuti Nelly Mabotja was born and raised in the East Rand in Vosloorus. Mabotja studied Commercial subjects at the Rondebult School but her passion and interest for art pushed her to study in the field of Fine and Applied Arts at the Tshwane University of Technology. While her 3rd year, Mabotja was selected to make a life-size statue of Dorothy Nyembe as part her course. The Dorothy Nyembe life-size bronze statue now stands in the Long March to Freedom procession at Fountains Valley

Mabotja has completed her Diploma in Fine Art and in now self-employed.