Tucked away in a small, two-room shack, Groutville resident Divine Msomi (60), known as “Dr Wood” is slowly making his way to fame with his home-made wooden furniture.

Coming from a difficult past, the Inanda born man said he always buckled down and worked towards his dream of one day owning a furniture workshop.

Msomi is currently working in a shack opposite the Luthuli Museum, given to him by his brother in law.

He said the love of woodwork is the only thing that had been pushing him for the past 30 years.

“I sometimes wake up at night and look at my equipment and say ‘what are we going to make tomorrow morning my friends?’ It has become my life partner and there is nothing that I enjoy more than making my furniture,” said Msomi.

It all started while looking at a furniture advert during his childhood at Inanda township.

“I grew up knowing that I wanted to make furniture for a living. Fortunately, my brother had friends in Clermont who were artists.

“Although they were not too interested in making furniture, they taught me how to do it.

“I chose to focus on making furniture because it is a quick process.”

Msomi began producing incredible work by hand, however with his age catching up to him and suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, he soon realised that he needed to invest in mechanical equipment.

“I used to do floor tiling so I could raise money to buy my equipment.

“If I can raise enough money to buy all the required machinery to open a proper workshop, I will be able to make all kinds of furniture.”

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