A technicoloured troop of pink warthogs; funky buffalos; cheeky giraffes and other beaded creatures greet you upon entering the African Allsorts workshop in Saltriver, Cape Town.

Interior designer, David Rosenstein and his brother Jason started the African Allsorts bead-and-wire craft design project in 2004, to address job creation and skills development in Southern Africa.

The duo has accomplished a lot in two years: They've provided workspace and a livelihood for a host of artists; their African inspired interior design & craft products are sold all over the world; and they're being recognised as the finest bead-and-wire craft design studio in South Africa.

These days the African Allsorts team's art adorn the coffee tables and lounges of some of the world's most affluent celebrities. Even Elton John recently bought a ‘funky hippo' while staying at the UluSaba Game Lodge in South Africa.

The vibe at the African Allsorts workshop in Salt River is contagious. Grooving African beats blast through the speakers and the sense of community is infectious. When asked about it, production manager Laila Radja, says that working here feels akin to being part of one big family, and day-to-day life at the workshop is coloured with all the laughter, problems and stresses that a big family has.

Inside the workshop, eager hands are shaping wire skeletons into a vast array of colourful creatures. The artists are all extremely enthusiastic when talking about their work. Simon Mushavetu has been with the company for two years and says he loves working here.

Enoch Mpufo is one of African Allsorts' rising stars. This Zimbabwean born artist designs and crafts his own range of sculptures. All Enoch's pieces are individually signed and numbered. He also makes the African Allsorts ‘Crystal Creations' range (crafted using the finest Preciosa Czech crystals).  

Enoch attributes his success partly to the high standards he sets himself: He starts every piece with the preconception that it is going to be a masterpiece. This forces him to give his best and take the sculpture to a new level.

The team talks excitedly about setting up their first shop at Cape Town's trendy V&A Waterfront. Jason explains that the shop - African Allsorts Handmade will consist of a collection of the usual All Sorts designs in combination with high-end designer sculptural pieces. The shop will also stock an array of hand-crafted handbags, jewellery and other accessories by an interesting mix of local designers.

On Fridays, the African Allsorts artists put away their wire clippers and transform into the African All Stars soccer team. The team is enthusiastic about extending their winning formula to Cape Town's soccer fields. And, considering their track record, we think these guys will go far.


Molo Says: "This project is merely one of the countless examples of South Africans making it work. Read about similar social upliftment projects in our Pulse section.

Visit African Allsorts Handmade at Shop 14, The Clock Tower (On the ground floor, next to Harriet's Coffee Shop), The V&A Waterfront or book an appointment to visit the workshop by phoning 021 447 6976. Find the African Allsorts workshop on our Cape Town Google Earth map.