‘I used nearly 80 000 beads for a Thabo Mbeki portrait – and got to meet him'

News24

14 hours ago

When Lindiwe Hlatswayo (30) recently walked onto the stage at Joburg Theatre carrying a portrait made from almost 80 000 beads, she wasn't just presenting artwork to former president Thabo Mbeki – she was proving that childhood dreams, no matter how humble, can come true.
After 700 hours of meticulous work over three months, handing the beaded portrait to Mbeki represented the culmination of a journey that began with plastic bottles and loose beads in her Pretoria home.
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This is her story.
'I've been fascinated with beads since I was 12 years old. I would collect plastic bottles while my parents bought me beads. I'd paste the beads around the bottles to create decorative pieces or make beaded rings. And when I wasn't beading, I was drawing.
Throughout primary school, I honed my drawing skills and beading techniques. In Grade 10, I made a bold decision – with my former teacher as my guide, I secretly went to enquire about enrolling at Pro Arte Alphen Park Performing and Creative Arts High School in Menlyn.
I'll never forget walking through the front door at home, application form in hand and watching my parents' surprised faces. While they seemed sceptical and had hoped I would follow a traditional academic route, they supported my artistic dreams.
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After high school, I enrolled at Tshwane University of Technology for a degree in textile technology, but due to financial constraints, I couldn't continue after my first year. In 2015, I started working at a packaging company and soon after began teaching English online for various Chinese companies.
But then Covid hit and we were in lockdown. It was a dark time – I was no longer working, I was pregnant with my first child and we couldn't go anywhere. I started using my beading as an outlet, not knowing it would change everything.
The first piece I created was of military officer and former prime minister of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara. It took me two months to produce an A5 portrait. At the time, I was testing my limits and discovering what was possible.
At the end of 2020, I received my first commissioned work from a client who wanted a portrait of a loved one – and that was the official launch of my company, Beads by Lindiwe.
Since then, I've woven portraits that celebrate our heritage and identity. I've created singer Nomcebo Zikode using 18 000 beads, [actress] Nandi Madida's beaded portrait with 16 000 beads and former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi's piece took 14 444 beads, which I use to showcase at my various exhibitions.
I also create portraits of historical leaders because I believe this is my way of keeping our heroes alive. My portraits celebrate heritage, identity and resilience – creating a link between the past and present.
When I create a portrait, I use Excel to outline my drawing and calculate how many beads I'll need. I then buy the beads at Marabastad, string them and weave the picture together. One of the most challenging aspects is that beads aren't always the same size, which affects the shape of the portrait.
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Last December, a regular client of mine, politician Lesego Makhubela, who discovered my work in 2021, called and requested that I create a portrait of Thabo Mbeki to honour the former president. Because it was the December holidays, I didn't work on it immediately. I started the piece in March this year.
A week before I finished the artwork, I spoke with Lesego about my progress. He then said he had a better idea – with the former president having a birthday celebration in June, it would be best if I gave it to him personally. He connected me with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, who sent me an official invitation just a day before the event.
It took me three months, 700 hours and 77 558 individual beads to create the portrait.
Being able to present it to him in person felt surreal. When I went on stage, I felt so honoured to be chosen. During my handover speech, I told him that I hoped the portrait would serve as a lasting reminder of the impact he's made in our country.
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Tata Thabo is a man of few words, so when I gave it to him, he simply said, 'Thank you.' But I think it took him back to his younger days because he looked at the picture and said, 'Yoh, I was such a young man.'
For me, it was a reminder that my work was not in vain because it's difficult being an independent artist.
I've had many times where people and my loved ones have asked why I don't get a proper job but now I know that my hands were always meant to weave together our past and future, one bead at a time.'
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