Deputy Ministers of Small Business Development and Arts and Culture, Ms Elizabeth Thabethe and Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, invite members of the media to attend a “Women in Crafts Imbizo” and a site visit to Ms Agelina Masuku of Hlabisa in KwaZulu-Natal.
The visit forms part of the Women’s Month Celebration by the Department of Small Business Development in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture and the Hlabisa Local Municipality.
Ms Masuku is already supplying the South African Lifestyle Hub in Atlanta, USA where her proudly made in South Africa baskets are on display and the buyers from Disney first got to see the beautifully handmade collection from South Africa. She clinched an incredibly fantastic deal with Disney where she is supplying them with just over 200 baskets on a monthly basis.
Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Elizabeth Thabethe officially opened a permanent South African Showroom in Atlanta in 2013 to create a platform for locally manufactured products as part of her endeavour to promote handmade products but more importantly to facilitate access to markets for many unknown artists and emerging entrepreneurs.
The partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture under the stewardship of Deputy Minister, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi saw local crafters accessing comprehensive support that ensures that they are capacitated and can access international markets.
Prior to the site visit and women in crafts imbizo the two Deputy Ministers will hoist the national flag at Ingqubeko Combined Primary School as part of the Department of Arts and Culture’s Flag in every school campaign.
Media are invited as follows:
Part One
Flag hoisting
Date: Thursday, 27 August 2015
Time: 7h30
Venue: Ingqubeko Combined Primary School
Part Two
Site visit and Women in Crafts Imbizo
Date: Thursday, 27 August 2015
Time: 9h00
Venue: Empembeni Community Hall, Hlabisa
The purpose of the site visit is to showcase the creative industry capacity and talent whilst acknowledging the hard work of local crafters. The site visit will be followed by a “Women in Crafts Imbizo” in Hlabisa.
The Imbizo will create an opportunity for the aspiring crafters to engage directly with Deputy Ministers Thabethe and Mabudafhasi as well as officials who will share with the community some of the products and services to help start, grow and sustain their businesses especially women crafters.
RSVP:
Obed Makgoale
Tel: 012 441 3713
Cell: 060 974 0789
E-mail: ObedM@dac.gov.za
Media enquiries:
Noko Manyelo
Tel: 012 394 9966
Cell: 060 972 5221
E-mail: nmanyelo@dsbd.gov.za
Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197
E-mail: petermb@dac.gov.za
