By Sizakele Nduli
By day, Silindile Mfeka from Hillcrest in KwaZulu-Natal works a nine-to-five job, but by night, she transforms into the creative force behind Kune Kraft.
This legacy, passed down from her great-grandparents, lives on in her colourful, one-of-a-kind bags and earrings.
Balancing her roles is not easy. After taking care of her family including cooking and helping with homework, Mfeka says she always tries to make at least one or two bags each evening.
“I usually sleep after 10pm, if my creative juices kick in, I go up to 12am,” she said, noting that the long hours were both physically exhausting and therapeutic.
Mfeka revealed to Vutivi News that she established her business in February 2024, and just a month later, she sold her first item.
The 35-year-old learned the art of crocheting at the age of eleven, but never pursued it seriously until she needed a creative outlet to help her cope during one of the lowest points in her life.
“I checked in for therapy as referred by my GP and during the therapy process, which saw me being at home for three weeks, required me to occupy myself and be busy with something. Little did I know that crochet brought meaning to my life and some form of worthiness,” she added.
For now, Mfeka only crafts bags and earrings, which range from R200 to R500, and special add-ons that may adjust the cost.
“Just to streamline the business and try and perfect the craft I will craft these products for now. And gift myself a gradual growth into other products in the future,” Mfeka explained.
All she needed was a hook, yarn of her choice and a lot of passion, along with the willingness to learn, fail, reset and try again.
Mfeka’s creative process is guided more by intuition than by formal technique. She does not follow stitch patterns, having learnt to crotchet by watching her then nanny, Aunty Nokuthula Mdakane. Instead she lets her instincts lead the way.
“I firstly think about the shape that I want to make and also pick the colour that I think will look good with that shape as well as the pattern that will look good in that shape and then I would crochet,” she stated.
Time management and yarn supply were among her biggest challenges since the inception of her business. “Since I’m a small company, my supplier does not prioritise me, so the colours I want can be an issue, and the frequency of yarn supply depends on availability,” Mfeka admitted.
Currently, she manages every aspect of her business on her own, but she hopes to hire her first employee by December. She also has ambitions to expand her reach to the international market.
“I will be working and incorporating other materials in my bags which will set it apart from other crochet bags,” Mfeka said.
Kune Kraft carries a deep, personal meaning for Mfeka.
“Kune” symbolises the number four in isiZulu, honouring her role as a mother to four daughters, while also meaning “there is”, a nod to the generational artistry passed down from her great-grandparents to her.
Through Kune Kraft, Mfeka celebrates both her heritage and her family legacy.
Kune Kraft can be found on Instagram and TikTok at @Kune_Kraft and on Facebook at Kune Kraft.
