Artist Profile – Tholakele Dlamini – Hardwire Basket Weaver

Born in Bulwer, near Pietermaritzburg, Tholakele Dlamini has spent more than two decades perfecting the art of hard-wire weaving. Her journey is one of resilience, patience, and an unwavering love for creating beautiful things with her hands.

As a child, Tholakele’s life was not always easy. After her parents divorced, she, her mother, and her siblings had to leave their family home. They eventually settled in Siyanda, where they built a shack after hearing there was land available. Years later, the government-built RDP houses for the community. Although life was difficult, Tholakele remembers finally having the freedom and security of a place they could call home. Her mother worked as a domestic worker, setting an example of hard work and perseverance that Tholakele would carry with her throughout her life.

Like her mother, Tholakele spent many years working as a domestic worker and cleaner, taking whatever work she could find in homes and offices. She continued doing this until 2020, when the Covid pandemic brought those opportunities to an end. While it was a challenging time, it also gave her the opportunity to devote herself fully to the craft she had loved for years.

Tholakele first learned wire weaving around the year 2000 after being taught by her neighbour, Mrs. Nkosi. Together with a group of women from Siyanda, she began making hard-wire baskets, although she laughs as she remembers how difficult it was in the beginning. Her bowls would often come out crooked, and despite the encouragement of the other women, mastering the technique took time, patience, and countless hours of practice. To build her confidence, she also worked with soft wire, creating smaller bowls before eventually returning to hard wire.

Today, weaving the bowls themselves comes naturally. The real challenge, she says, lies in creating intricate patterns and unique designs. She especially enjoys incorporating animals into her work because of her love for wildlife. If a design doesn’t turn out the way she imagined, she would rather undo her work or start again than settle for something she isn’t proud of. For Tholakele, neatness and originality are what make each piece special.

Among her favourite creations are her hard-wire trinket bowls with matching lids. Although they are much smaller than her larger bowls, she says they are surprisingly difficult to make, especially the lids, which must be woven carefully from the bottom upwards. A trinket bowl and lid take around three days to complete, while one of her larger bowls can take four days or more, depending on the complexity of the design.

Earlier in her career, Tholakele sold her work at the BAT Centre before later exhibiting at the African Art Centre, where her craftsmanship found an appreciative audience.

When asked what it takes to learn hard-wire weaving, Tholakele smiles. She believes the craft requires patience above all else. In Siyanda, anyone wanting to learn would first need to find someone willing to teach them before practising for hours at home. “You have to be someone who enjoys being at home,” she says. “You have to give it your full attention.” She admits that once she starts a new bowl, she wakes up excited every morning, eager to continue and see how the finished piece will look.

Her craft has not only become her passion but also her livelihood. Through weaving, Tholakele was able to raise her son, and today it helps her support her grandson and continue making her house a home. She taught her son how to work with soft wire when he was younger, and although he now has another job, she has passed those same skills on to her 20-year-old grandson, who enjoys making soft-wire bowls and coasters.

Tholakele is especially grateful to Busisiwe Mayise, whose guidance and encouragement have helped her continue growing as an artist and exploring new ideas to keep her work fresh and relevant.

Now fully retired from employment, Tholakele is able to dedicate all of her time to her craft. Although she once dreamed of learning beadwork as well, she says her eyesight no longer allows for it. Instead, she continues to pour her energy into the wire weaving she has spent years mastering, creating each piece with the same care, patience, and pride that have defined her journey from the very beginning.

Her story is a reminder that beautiful things are often created through perseverance. Every bowl she weaves carries not only intricate patterns but also years of experience, determination, and hope—making each one a true reflection of the remarkable woman who created it.