Sieberhagen was born in 1961 in Victoria West, South Africa. Sieberhagen says the thought-provoking question American writer, James Baldwin asked in his book about American history: “Which of us has overcome his past?” has become an important one considering the present realities in South Africa.

Sieberhagen says the honeymoon period of the rainbow nation is over and we are in the process of re-thinking our relationships with history and with our fellow countrymen. Baldwin's gripping statement: “People are trapped in history and history is trapped in people” confirms the energy that is at present evident in our country.

“The Coffle series was created in which I set out to portray the reality that people are inseparably connected to each other and each other's past, present and future.  To give life to this concept I have used the haunting images of coffles (a line of slaves tied together (Arabic word "cafile" meaning caravan)).