Actress, singer and sangoma Letoya Makhene-Pulumo is celebrating Africa Month with the launch of spiritual prayer candles and Dlozi inspired luxury blankets.
The former, “Generations: The Legacy” star says the new business venture is an extension of supportive product lines that work in tandem with traditional African medicines, interwoven with cultural practices.
The hand-crafted candle range has been specially curated with symbolic colours, infused with incense and muthi.
Speaking to IOL Entertainment at the recent launch at the Dlozi Ngwana wa Badimo store in Newtown, Makhene-Pulumo said the integral part of her work remains healing using natural plants and herbs.
Makhene-Pulumo, who is no stranger to the world of entrepreneurship, started with her muthi-infused beauty products when she first launched her herbal shop House of Kgwedi.
“House of Kgwedi started many years ago. I used to own a shop, a pharmacy that I was physically consulting from,” said the 38-year-old.
“But at some point, my shop closed because I got so busy with the acting side of things. So during Covid, my spirit guides came to me with a tonic, imbiza, and they said to make this and put all of these ingredients in there, to drink.
“Do you know, between me and my family, my children, my father, with me giving them the tonic and the steamer, isifuthu, no one ever contracted Covid?
“So, that was really me re-launching House of Kgwedi. Now we have tonics and steamers and beauty products such as bubble baths, salts, body butter, and body lotions and all of these are muthi infused.
“The problem is, we keep walking into these dodgy little shops as black people and someone sells you insipho yenhlanhla (lucky soaps) but just merely looking at (them) you can tell some of these products are bogus.
“I then decided to create something authentic for my people, something that really contains muthi.”
With a showbiz career spanning over two decades, Makhene-Pulumo has managed to reinvent herself into an all-round rounder media personality and a businesswoman.
In 2022, Makhene-Pulumo made her radio debut on Opulence Radio where she gave listeners an insight into her spiritual journey, while educating them on issues about the universe, God, angels, ancestors, herbalism and witchcraft.
The star told IOL Entertainment, she had been working on several TV projects. She is also releasing new music ahead of her musical concert later in the year.
“On the 7th of October, I have a huge show happening at the State Theatre.
“So we've got that huge concept that is coming up. I'm in the studio recording, as well as writing music. And I was hoping to drop my album before my concert.
“I've had some beautiful jobs come my way. Towards the end of last year, I shot a film and a series, so I might not be on your screens Monday to Friday, but I'm so active within my industry.”
Makhene, who became a traditional healer at the age of 18, says the entertainment industry is starting to embrace her calling.
“I’ve been given two really amazing jobs as a spiritual advisor. So now people are tapping into me for spiritual advise in the entertainment industry. I'm not always in front of the camera but I'm behind the camera and so I'm excited.”
Her spiritual candles and Ubungoma blankets are available online and the store in Newtown, Joburg.