Cape Town - Living with with compassion and supporting local communities while celebrating heritage are the V&A Waterfront’s overarching Joy from Africa to the World themes being embraced at The Table Bay Hotel.
With sustainability underpinning all the hotel’s operations, a decision was taken to upcycle its existing decorations while making them more representative of Cape Town and South Africa.
The Table Bay Hotel general manager Joanne Selby said it would welcome visitors from out of town and wanted to give them a distinctly local experience.
“We were inspired by the V&A Waterfront’s vision of Joy from Africa to the World, and decided to draw on this concept for our own hotel’s festive programme. This year our celebration will showcase the essence of South Africa to create truly lasting memories for our guests.”
The hotel partnered with Monkeybiz, a city organisation that works with 250 local crafters. The wire and beaded objects they have created include bowls, proteas, porcupines and even a fun African take on reindeer.
“Each piece is handcrafted, so no two decorations are the same, and we are certain our guests will appreciate this novel festive experience. We see this as a project that will grow over the coming years, and look forward to expanding our decorations, while at the same time assisting local communities and showcasing their skills,” Selby said.
Monkeybiz co-founder, director and production manager Mathapelo Ngaka-Tati said her mother taught her how to make beads, and they collected more people in the community without any source of income to join.
“‘It is organisation that empowers women to become financially independent and able to work from home. We provide free raw materials to artists, so they just produce their unique artwork. It’s an amazing collaboration in this time of Covid-19.
“The way to move forward is through collaborations with all the designers and all the people looking after art. It’s really amazing.
“Coming from Khayelitsha to the five-star hotel of Table Bay, I can say that we are privileged. With international tourists coming for the festive season, our exposure will be expanded. Our work is mostly known overseas. I feel proud today because our work is here at home at a unique five-star hotel at the Waterfront,” Ngaka-Tati said.
The hotel’s financial manager, Mandy Mushaninga, said: “We want to help communities, especially in these trying Covid-19 times. We also like to do things authentically African.”
