At the heart of Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, a vibrant cohort of creators is shaping more than just clay, they’re shaping futures. Zizamele Ceramics has transformed the art of pottery into a platform for opportunity and empowerment. Their impactful work has won them the 2025 Empowerment Award at the annual V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Awards, a benchmark of the best in retail.
Art educator Toni Burton founded Zizamele (a Zulu word meaning to do something for yourself) in 2008 with a mission to help local women turn their artistic talent into opportunity. After training the first cohort through an 18-month craft production course, she helped them build sustainable livelihoods.
Today, the collective’s handmade, colourful ceramics are exported globally, with each artisan developing her own style along the way. Their signature creation, the Ubuntu Bowl, comprises a circle of friendship featuring clay figures holding hands around the rim. This iconic design, first created by ceramicist Sisanda Mbana, has become synonymous with Zizamele’s mission of community and empowerment.
Mbana’s artistry has been recognised with numerous accolades, including her first award at the Ceramics SA Regionals Exhibition in 2008, and her work has been acquired by the Iziko South African National Gallery. Her Ubuntu Bowl has even been featured on a South African Postal Service stamp series, celebrating her and other local ceramicists.
Alongside the Ubuntu Bowl, Zizamele’s other vibrant hand-painted ceramics – from vases to everyday tableware – are crafted by women who were once unemployed and have since become skilled artisans under Burton’s mentorship. The studio’s pieces are increasingly exported internationally, where collectors value their authenticity and the story behind each creation.
‘Clay brought us together. Every piece tells a story of growth, resilience, and shared creativity. Our work is about empowering women and sharing South Africa’s culture with the world,’ Burton says. ‘Being acknowledged by the V&A management and community means a lot. Over the years, I’ve remained confident in what we do, but one is never sure that anyone else is noticing.’
Burton’s fellow ceramicist Nkuli Sam, a long-time member of the collective, adds: ‘Our work encourages unity and friendship… Recognition like this reminds us that what we create (and how we create it) matters. It inspires us to keep building something beautiful together.’
Proudly based in the V&A Watershed (the V&A Waterfront’s iconic hub for design, craft and entrepreneurship) Zizamele’s story mirrors the very purpose of this creative space. As the V&A Watershed celebrates its 11th anniversary this October, it continues to serve as a launchpad for South African design talent and small business growth, championing over 150 tenants.
‘Zizamele Ceramics is a perfect example of the V&A Watershed’s spirit,’ says the V&A Waterfront’s executive for retail, Alex Kabalin. ‘For more than a decade, the Watershed has nurtured makers and storytellers whose work carries South Africa’s creativity to the world. Brands like Zizamele Ceramics make this space dynamic and meaningful and their win is well-deserved. From skills training to sustainable income opportunities, it’s no surprise that they were recognised at this year’s V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Awards.’
Zizamele Ceramics demonstrates the transformative power of craft: turning clay into opportunity, and opportunity into empowerment. Visit them at Stand F75 in the V&A Watershed and see https://zizamele.co.za/ for more information.
For more information on the awards, visit https://awards.waterfront.co.za/
For more about the V&A Waterfront visit: www.waterfront.co.za