Shabangu was born in Driefountein, Mpumalanga, where he spent a large part of his childhood living at an apostolic mission station. Imagery from this time in his life features regularly in his work. He moved to Johannesburg in 2006 and ended up studying printmaking at the Artist Proof Studio after being introduced to the medium through the Taxi Art Education Program at the Johannesburg Central Library. In 2008 he was chosen to represent the Many Voices, One Movement Global Conference. Early in 2010, he was the recipient of the David Koloane Award and as a result, he engaged in a residency at the Bag Factory, under the mentorship of artists David Koloane and Pat Mautloa. In 2010, he began working on monotypes at the David Krut Workshop (DKW) at Arts on Main with printer Jillian Ross. His monotypes depict scenes of the Johannesburg CBD. He often places city landscapes emerging from below and suspended above his characters creating an almost claustrophobic sense of being surrounded by the city. Within this theme, he also deals with movement in the city and how people are moved. In his works, he looks at how people live and the politics surrounding forced removals. Shabangu exhibited his works at the various Johannesburg Art Fairs and at a group show of South African artists in New York City as part of the Ubuntu exhibition, as well as the group exhibition The Benedict of Shade II at David Krut Projects.