GEMSTONES. The jewel of beauties

Gem stones are the world’s most precious commodities. But just imagine being surrounded by them everyday of your working life. To work with them, touch them, caress them and mould them must be an ultimate wish we would die for. But just imagine being a jewel among these stones yourself. MOTSHEDISI MASHAPHA is Lichaba Creations’ most precious jewel. She has developed a line of products that have taken the company up with the best in the country. She speaks to Thembi Masser about her diamonds in the skies occupation.

Motshedisi, 27, is the creative beads and jewellery designer. The company (www.lichabajewellryhub.co.za), based in central Johannesburg, has branches elsewhere in the country and is owned by the renowned self-made entrepreneur, Max Moeketsi Lichaba. They were recently in the news. His company revamped the old Gauteng Sports Awards trophy this year.    

“I design for queens and kings,” Motshedisi enthuses. Indeed, she is held in high esteem at Lichaba Creations. She established an exciting bead work range for kids, teenagers and young adults. This brought a smile to her manager, Judy Raikane. “This allows us to fight in the most lucrative market any one who has their marbles would like to dabble in, the youth section. That is where the smart money is,” Raikane remarks. “Motshedisi has beads in her feet.”

Motshedisi has been stead fast about her occupation straight from school. She enrolled for a jewellery making course soon after her matric. She spent six months at the Harmony Jewellery School honing her creative skills. She says there is not so much theory at the school. “We use our creative minds and hands there,” she says. “We did not play much there.”

She is proud that she creates adornments that enhance human beauty. “I feel pride in my heart when I see customers ogling my creations in our display cabinets. When they ask, ‘Who made this?’, my heart trembles with joy and when they finally walk out with my creation in their bags or dangling from their hands or necks I pat my own back in joy.”     

The beads for kids, teenagers and the youth market have proved to be a popular range as well. “This range is going to take the market by storm once it is rolled out in the near future” Raikane predicts. “When Motshedisi came with the idea we knew it was going very hard to say no to her. She is stubbornly insistent but joy to work with. She thinks out of the box.” When Raikane arrived at Lichaba Motshedisi was in another section, called the incubator. But Raikane felt Motshedisi was wasting her tremendous talents nurturing products: she was excellent in creating them. “So I moved her .She has a gift in designing and conceptualising products, and strong in bead work.”

Motshedisi went to Harmony primary before finishing her studies at the Harmony high school where she was not strong in literature. “I am not great in that department, but working with my hands fascinates me and gives me joy.”  At school she was comfortable with chemistry, accounting, maths and English. The first three gave me the chance to create, explore and try different methods in doing things, she explains. “I don’t intend to stop here at Lichaba Creations. I need to go over to New York, Paris and elsewhere to display my handiwork.” She says she is passionate in creating bangles and male rings. “I love male fingers,” she says, laughing out loud. “Especially when they are manly.”

Thabo Lichaba, the human resources manager, is full of admiration for Motshedisi. He says Motshedisi likes what she is doing. “She is utterly competent. She is full of ideas, she is loyal and she is an important asset.’ He says they have been buoyed by the beautiful designs she has come up with and customers like her solid bead work. 

Here is some of Motshedisi's brilliant handiwork. Stunning, isn't it?

Contemplation...deep in thought as she creates yet another masterpiece