Notes

In 1993, Magwaza embarked on her journey in basket weaving, guided by her neighbor Anamaria Dlamini in Siyanda. She developed a unique sense of color and balance in her designs, drawing inspiration from the hues of telephone wire. Constantly experimenting with patterns, her creations evolved from traditional Zulu to contemporary designs that blend Zulu and Ndebele traditions. The pinnacle of her success came in 1998 when she won the top prize in South Africa's FNB Vita Craft Now awards, bringing recognition not only to her but to all Siyanda's telephone-wire weavers.

Today, Magwaza is recognized as an internationally acclaimed artist, and her works grace collections worldwide. Notably, one of her baskets has found a place in the royal collection at Windsor Castle, presented to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, by President Mbeki in 2001. This inclusion stands as a testament to Magwaza's remarkable skill as a basket weaver and her dedication to exploring the nuances of form and color within the realm of contemporary crafts. ^{1 2}

Literature

¹ David Arment and Marisa Fick-Jordan (2005) Wired: Contemporary Zulu Telephone Wire Baskets, Sante Fe: S/C Editions, pages 63-64.

² N/A (no date) Ntombifuthi Magwaza (b.1965) - basket (imbenge) Royal Collection Trust, online, https://www.rct.uk/collection/102892/basket-imbenge, accessed 14 January 2024.