PORT Elizabeth designers won big at the fourth Lithuba Lakho (This Is Your Chance) Competition and Exhibition Awards, scooping three of the available four category prizes in Port Elizabeth on Friday, March 29.
This is the first time that designers from the western side of the province have shown such dominance. Nozuko Nqonqoza, Amanda Qeqe and Lookout Sibanda, all from PE, each walked away with the top prizes of R15 000 worth of material and equipment in the contemporary accessory, traditional wear and home wear categories respectively. The apparel category was won by East London’s Nangamso Dana.
An initiative of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum in conjunction with the Mandela Bay Development Agency, the competition recognises the top crafters in the Eastern Cape. It is designed to promote top export quality craft from a diverse range of disciplines.
“This year the competition which celebrates and recognises the best creative works in the craft industry attracted 69 creative work submissions at 10 venues across the Eastern Cape.
“Four crafters walked away with the top prize of R15 000 each in materials and machinery in each of the four categories – homeware, traditional wear, contemporary accessory and apparel,” said ECDC creative industry sector specialist, Yandiswa Sodaba.
“We are also especially pleased that in the four years the competition has been running, this year the Nelson Mandela Bay region has really come to the party with some really good quality submissions,” said Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum director, Emma O’ Brien.
ECDC chief executive officer, Ndzondelelo Dlulane, said the creative industries possessed the potential to contribute significantly to the provincial gross domestic product, alleviating poverty, reducing inequality and the high unemployment rate challenge faced by the country and the Eastern Cape.
“The creative sector can also improve social cohesion and inclusion for SMMEs in both the rural and urban areas. ECDC intervenes in this sector in a very significant manner.
“ECDC arranges a number of trade platforms within the country to provide access to markets for the SMMEs in the industry, most of whom are located in rural areas.
“In 2017/18, ECDC participated in nine creative industry trade platforms which are aimed at improving the competitiveness of craft entrepreneurs. In 2017/18, a total of 110 SMMEs were helped to participate in these events. These businesses generated sales worth R762 799 from these events,” said Dlulane.
ECDC also enjoys a partnership with the Department of Small Business Development of R2.5million per year to support the industry through market access, training and workshops to improve their products.
