Take it in five

                                                              Sbongakonke Mbatha

Five minutes is all it takes for you to have a bracelet with an embroidery of your name on it. This handmade craft is hard to believe until you witness it. Ferrari Muzeza, who is a street vendor at the corner of Somerset and High Streets in Grahamstown, has mastered this talent.

“I learnt to do this while I was still in my mother’s womb, in other words it is in my blood. I was born with it,” said Muzeza.

This outspoken Rastafarian, who is part Zimbabwean and part Ghanaian, travelled all the way from Cape Town to come and promote his art at the National Arts Festival (3-12 July). Ferrari said his interest in the arts began when he was little.

“It all started when I was young. I used to make wire cars for my friends and then I got interested in the art, so I just improved my skill as I grew older,” said Muzeza.

While many would hesitate to stop and buy the bracelet for R50 without guarantees, Ferrari is confident that his craft is not just attractive but also genuinely strong.

“My craft is authentic and strong. I buy my strings in Cape Town. These strings are made of wax and nylon. One string can carry up to a 100 kg, so when I make your bracelet you must know that it will last for 10 years or more because the wax protects it from water. It is safe to bath, wash and swim with it,” said Muzeza.