Gladmore gives gardens character
Gladmore Rupiya (43) moved to South Africa from Zimbabwe in search of better opprtunities for himself and his family
POLOKWANE – Gladmore manufactures all his products from scratch in the comfort of his own home outside Polokwane.
He displays his creations opposite McDonald’s in Thabo Mbeki Street, where his friend Aloisio Makumba, who makes wooden furniture, assists him by selling his products while Gladmore is at home, making more garden decorations to sell.
“Though I do not have the time to sell my products myself, the most important reason for doing this is that I’m doing it for my family and when someone buys my products, I know I can soon replace whatever they bought. I’m really thankful for Aloisio’s patience by selling my products on my behalf while concentrating on selling his own creations, it is rare to find such a friend,” he said.
Gladmore makes lizards, butterflies, baobab trees, ants, chairs, flower dishes, windmills and all kinds of animals from a soft malleable bronze or tin.
“As a friend I always make sure I give Gladmore the profit I make from his products. When we stand here and sell, we make sure we keep our products apart so we do not confuse potential customers.
“They must be sure what they want as Gladmore and I sell totally different products, so people have choices. We are not competing but assist one another as friends and empower our families because we are the breadwinners,” Aloisio added.
They invite people to come and browse through their products to see what they would like and perhaps to also make a purchase.
