Iziko lo Lwazi Craftworkers

Nokhaya Ngxakeni

My Name is Nokhaya Roselinah Ngxakeni. I was born on 16/03/62 at Mohonglolo Location in the district of Willovale at Eastern Cape.I started school at the age of 12 years because my parents they don’t want to educate a daughter because they believe that there is no use to send a girl to school. Because in olden days our parents did not know the value of education they said my job is to look after the cattle. They said there is no use to send me to school becasue they believe that even if they can send me to school I am going to get married and leave them. That is why they did not know the value of education and said we haven’t got the money to send you so school. I look after my father’s cattle at the age of five uears until eleven years. When I was eleven years I sit down and think oh my God my friend was educated and me I don’t even know how to read and write. When my freind gave me a letter I don’t know how to read. I looking like a blind person. I must went to school. At that time it is only my mother at home. My father was working at Transvaal. He was working at Stilfontein gold mine. He didn’t send me money at home. My grandmother made a new dress for me. I took my father’s cattle to the dipping tank and then I am waiting for the ticket and I drove the cattle to the veld. After that I went to school. My class teacher was shocked because I was looking so old.She say what is your name and where do you come from? I tell my class teacher the whole story and she say sit down and she teach me and I say No, Miss, I know everything that you teach me because before I came to school my neighbour teach me so I take only one day in Sub A. The following day my class teacher take me to another Sub A and she say you must finish a year in this class. I take only five months. I start at school on 16th June 1979 and on 15th November 1974 when I was doing standard four I was married. In 1983 I went to Orange Free State to visit my husband and when I went there things didn’t go well. Things became bad because it was during the time of apartheid where we were asked to introduce our pass. I didn’t have a pass. We lived on a farm and the policeman came and ask me to introduce pass. I said I don’t have a pass they took me to jail and by that time I was nine months pregnant. When we arrived in jail some of the police were kicking us and were sleeping on the cement floor and it was very colad day and we sleep with the dirty blanket. The lice got in our ears. Every time the police came to count us. When I was in jail I deliver my baby. Unfortunately for me the baby died because of pneumonia. My baby was getting cold the time I was in jail. Eight years ago I met with three ladides - Jean, Chloe and Lynn. They help me to imporve my English. I started from Level 1 to Level 4. I attended night school to Grade 10. Today I am doing grade 12. I am busy to write exams tight now. I want to say than you to our teachers of Iziko Lo Lwazi because I am looking forward to learn more.

Mama Nokhaya

My name is Nokhaya Ndude. I am 57 years old. I left my home in Willowvale to come to Cape Town to find work. Life is very hard in the Eastern Cape. I built my own house in Mandela Park. Last Monday the wind blew very strong. My roofing broke and flew off. My son came to help me fix it. My Daughter helped me with all the other problems I have with my house. I hope my house will be fixed soon. I am a grandmother of 7 children. I love them all very much. I make bead badges and cards and knitting. I sell chicken and sheeps head and meat from cow to make extra money.

Noluthando

My name is Noluthando. My surname is Makahlela. I was born in Willowvale in the district of Cofutweni. I came to Cape Town in 2004. I stay in Hout Bay now and I do lots of bead work because there are lots of other jobs. I would love to get a job cleaning houses because I like to clean my own house. I do an English school all Wednesday because I am not perfect to talk English, but now is better. My teacher gave me more information. There are three brothers and two sisters but no parents in my family. My brother and my sister are looking after me.

Nosiphiwo

My name is Nosiphiwo Masekwana. I come from Eastern Cape from a place called Willowvale. I have four children, three boys, one girl. Now I am staying in Cape Town. I am looking for work. On Wednesday we have English classes because I did not go to school in Eastern Cape. My home is very poor. I have no parents. My father died in 1985. My mother died in 1998. I had to look after my little boy and small sister and myself. My work experience is making beads and selling second hand clothes. I want to improve my life so my children can have a better one. Now I am going to school adult classes. The teacher is Tessa. Thanks Jean and Tessa for the school. Now I better understand English.