It is always with humbleness entangled in great delight to introduce you to Maphuki of Phokeng. It’s the story of a young Cape Town teacher driven by the need for extra income and a deep love for crafting things with his hands. This was me, Maphuki Tsatsane, in the late 1990s. Amid the vibrant buzz of Cape Town’s tourism scene, I began creating leather belts, bags, and sandals, selling them to tourists at the Cape Crafts Market.

In 2003, my journey led me back to my roots in Phokeng, where I opened a modest leather factory and a shop in Rustenburg. The local community embraced our leather creations, and my dual life of teaching and crafting continued until 2006. I balanced these two worlds with enthusiasm, knowing that every piece of leather I worked on had the potential to tell a story.