It was all ululation and dance at the Mthatha crafters’ imbizo on Friday as a group of industrious women celebrated a gift that will give their work a massive boost.
Arts and culture deputy minister Maggie Sotyu delivered on her promise to bring the crafters much-needed industrial sewing machines to boost their sewing output.
Sotyu handed over 19 machines at the crafters’ Imbizo at AbaThembu acting King Azenathi Dalindyebo’s Bumbane Great Place near Mthatha.
Sotyu said the Imbizo was a follow-up of the previous engagement which she had on June 9 2017 with the people of Bumbane, Sithembe and surrounding villages.
The machines were welcomed by Dalindyebo and his mother Queen NoCollege Dalindyebo, as well as Cacadu senior traditional leader Nkosikazi Nongongo Ngonyama.
Ngonyama said although initially the groups of women who were to benefit were 12, the number had now increased to 35.
Dalindyebo said King Sabata Dalindyebo mayor Dumani Zozo had donated another machine and that meant there were now 20 machines to benefit rural women in and around Mthatha.
In June last year, when Sotyu was in Bumbane, she listened to Dalindyebo and a group of crafters calling for radical rural women development.
They requested the deputy minister to donate some sewing machines and assist in developing their skills as part of rural women empowerment.
“At the 2017 Imbizo there were requests from various groups of women in the arts sector for sewing machines and other material,” the deputy minister said.
“Now I have come not to make speeches, but to deliver on my promise, the promise made by the ANC for the people of this area,” said Sotyu before handing over the machines to Nkosi Ngonyama and Queen Mother Dalindyebo who received them on behalf of beneficiaries.
“These are not personally for the king and his traditional leaders, but are to benefit the community.
“However they will be kept at the Great Place for everyone to have access,” she said.
She said that machines had come from donors.
The deputy minister said she would not stop at donating the machines, but the local municipality, the provincial government and the national government would assist in marketing the products of these women, even internationally.
The crafters said the donation would help fight poverty and unemployment...