Keeping South African heritage alive, one bead at a time: Phindile Msiza's mission to preserve traditions
Entrepreneur Phindile Msiza showcases her handmade beaded jewelry at Denlyn Mall in Mamelodi, Tshwane
Image: Supplied
As South Africans celebrate Heritage Day this September, one local entrepreneur is making it her mission to keep cultural traditions alive — one bead at a time.
For Phindile Millicent Msiza, a proud Ndebele woman, beadwork is more than a business. It is a calling to preserve African identity.
“As a black South African woman, I have taken it as my personal responsibility to preserve our African culture through my talent in jewellery making. Cultural preservation and promotion bring me personal enrichment and profit,” she told IOL.
Entrepreneur Phindile Msiza showcases her handmade beaded jewelry at Denlyn Mall in Mamelodi.
Image: Supplied
Every weekend, she sets up her stall at Denlyn Mall in Mamelodi, showcasing a vibrant collection of African jewelry. For Msiza, the mall is more than a trading space — it is a platform to celebrate tradition and share African artistry with a diverse audience.
“I am super excited about the month of September, which is hyped up for Heritage Day, which keeps traditions alive,” said Msiza.
Her pieces — necklaces, bracelets, and intricate beadwork — are carefully crafted and steeped in cultural meaning. Through her creations, she says she is helping ensure that African customs remain relevant in modern society.
Some of Phindile's merchandise on her stall
Image: Supplied
Beyond preserving heritage, Msiza’s venture is also about empowerment. She works alongside her cousin, who is also skilled in beadwork, to create opportunities for women in their community.
“As a female entrepreneur, I feel proud that my work empowers me and other women in my community,” she said.
While sales sustain her livelihood, Msiza says it is often the admiration from passersby that brings the greatest fulfilment.
“The patrons passing by appreciate the work that I display. Sometimes it’s not about profiting from their support — just seeing them stop to admire my exhibition is such a great motivation,” she explained.
Passersby admire Phindile Msiza’s intricate beadwork on display in Mamelodi.
Image: Supplied
For Msiza, her stall has become a hub for cultural exchange — a space where traditions are celebrated, admired, and kept alive. This Heritage Month, her beadwork serves as both a personal achievement and a reminder of the richness of South Africa’s cultural identity.
Meanwhile, acting president Paul Mashatile will on Wednesday officiate the 2025 national Heritage Day celebrations at Bridgeton Sport Grounds in Oudtshoorn, in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and the Western Cape provincial government.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile is leading this year's Heritage Day celebrations
Image: File
This year’s Heritage Month theme, “Re-imagine our Heritage Institutions for a New Era”, highlights the need to leverage heritage as a foundation for building a dynamic, socially responsive, technologically innovative, and economically inclusive future.
Mashatile said museums, as custodians of memory and knowledge, must urgently reposition themselves as spaces of relevance, innovation, and community engagement.
“South Africa’s heritage sector has long been a cornerstone of our national identity, collective memory and reconciliation,” said the deputy president. “So our museums as cultural and heritage institutions play a vital role in healing communities and preventing the recurrence of past injustices.”
He added that the commemoration of Heritage Month this year provides an opportunity to reflect on how heritage can be transformed into momentum for innovation, job creation, social cohesion, and nation-building.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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