Woza Moya supports local basket artist

BUSISIWE Mayise is the 30th artist showcasing her work on the Woza Moya Artists’ Wall, and her work is being featured for the month of March.

The concept behind the Woza Moya Artist’s Wall and Artist’s Cards is to create and showcase the work of artists who have been hard hit by Covid. Each month, a different artist is paid to paint a 1.2m x 1.2m wall panel which is displayed on the wall outside the Woza Moya Hillcrest AIDS Centre shop.

Also read: Picture perfect: Woza Moya supports local artist

Woza Moya assists the artist by marketing their work for the entire month their work is on display. A greeting card is made of the painted wall panel and sold in their shops so that artists can earn an ongoing passive income. This has worked well with artists earning from R200 to R1 000 a month from the sale of the cards.

About the artist

Mayise was born in the KwaNgongoma kwaDenge area. She has nine siblings, and she is the second-born of the family. She grew up in a comfortable home where her father worked and her mother stayed at home taking care of the family. She went to Empakaleni Primary School, then went to KwaDayeni High School.

She moved to KwaMashu after she got married. She got married on December 20, 1980, and sadly lost her husband in February 1981, the following year. She had two children and one passed on – now, she only has one son and two grandchildren.

She is a self-taught weaver – she learnt the skill on her own. She started making the baskets in 1997 to take care of her family. She started selling in town (market), and her first basket was only R40.

Mayise said she loves her work, and it means everything to her, and it is her only source of income.

“I managed to build a house with just making baskets,” she said.

She takes care of her grandchildren with the income she gets from making the baskets, and she said her greatest highlight is the house she built with the income from her baskets.

“I enjoy making baskets and always give my best so the artwork comes out perfect. I never want to disappoint my customers and the people who gave me an opportunity to showcase my work.”

All Mayise’s designs from her work are from her head – she creates them in her head before starting the weaving. She said she loves to put together family lives, showcasing the warmth and joy of a family in her work.

She has done workshops for the African Art Centre to teach others to make baskets like hers. She has also worked for Pascal (a local artist), making baskets for her. She works with Hlengiwe Dube, as well, who is also an artist. Hlengiwe Dube inspired her greatly, and she learnt much from her.

“Working with great people like Hlengiwe, Pascal and the African Art Centre has helped my work grow so much. I have learnt from them how to master my art, and I am very grateful to them.

“I am also grateful to Woza Moya, a place where I can continue to sell my work.”

She also does beautiful lidded baskets.

“Busisiwe is a master craftsperson, and these baskets are becoming more difficult to source as young people are not taking up this art form,” said Woza Moya.

Shop opening times:

Woza Moya is based at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, 26 Old Main Road, in Hillcrest, and is open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 16:00, and from 09:00 to 17:00 at Woza Moya Windermere Centre. On Saturdays, the HACT shop is open from 08:00 to 14:00, and from 09:00 to 14:00 at Windermere. Woza Moya is the economic empowerment project of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust.

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