A colour burst of exquisite beadwork at Rosebank Art and Craft market

The Rosebank Art and Craft Market is where you can find some of the most inspiring vendors who, like many others, found themselves without an income during the lockdown.

The extraordinary artists earn a living from selling their meticulously crafted, hand-made beadwork, each vendor has an intriguing story to tell about the journey which led them to the two-storey location in Rosebank.

Aletta Bakwena Tshabalala, a 71-year-old woman from Harrismith a small Free State town known for its majestic mountains and matchless beauty explains that her journey was fueled by an unquenchable thirst for making something good out of her life.

According to Tshabalala, she started doing her beadwork in 1960 when she was selling fruits to pedestrians to earn a living.

“I noticed the other informal traders selling beads and decided to try my hand at this art form,” she added.

Tshabalala grew and got good at her beadwork with that she managed to put her children through university purely on the profits she made.

“Today my children help and support me in my small enterprise which grows every day from a unique and charming skill.”