BY HLENGIWE NGWENYA
MANZINI – From wasted plastic material, she has used her artistic skill to make a wide range woven baskets and lucrative hand bags.
Unemployment has not deterred her hope to put food on the table for her family.
This is the story of 52-year-old Thembi Mabuza who has now gained popularity for championing the art of making accessory bags and hand bags from plastic waste.
Mabuza, a Liswati from Lobamba, has told Eswatini Positive News that she started her trade in the 1980s and she is now a prominent vendor based at the Manzini Market where she has a stall. She said for over 30 years she had been making a living from selling her beautiful designs.
Using her talent, Mabuza weaves her baskets using hand strapping that she obtains from Eswatini Plastics in Matsapha.
For those that are unaware, this material is sold for the purpose of strapping together parcels, for instance, eggs or milk cartons.
She explained that she usually buy different colours of rolls of the material which then she use to make her merchandize.
From just making baskets of different colours, she has evolved to making accessory bags and lady hand bags. She said she sell the bags from as little as E50.
Mabuza told this publication that she has managed to pass her skill to her daughter who recently completed high school.
Eswatini Positive News team found Mabuza together with her daughter both weaving bags.
“My daughter has mastered my weaving skill and it will help her in future in case there are no job opportunities,” she said.
Asked about challenges, Mabuza explained that COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected her business. She said this was because most of her clients included tourists and the lockdowns caused a decline in activities at the market. She explained that tourists formed 80 percent of her clientele.
Though she has recorded a loss due to the lockdowns, the launch of ‘Phatsa Sakho campaign, has brought hope in her business as the bags are flying off the shelves.
“We wish government will do something to help independent business people, especially at the market place, to market our products and further invite more customers.” She said.
