Elewani sews masks to help fight Covid-19

Since wearing a mask in public is now mandatory, they are in demand.

To flatten the Covid-19 infection curve and to make sure everyone has access to them, Elelwani Sigoba is sewing them for locals at an affordable price.

This has saved people the trouble of standing in long queues to buy them at the shops. The 24-year-old from Ngovhela Ha-Madamalala said she started sewing them in April after realising that a shortage existed. "The lack of access to surgical masks in our area made me start sewing them, but the decision to sell them came after the Department of Health gave the go-ahead on the use of fabric face masks to minimise the risk of contracting the virus," she said.

Now she has her hands full. To meet the demand, she makes 65 of them per day. "I produce more than 65 when I have a bulk order," she said. R40 per mask is the price, but a discount is given for those who purchase them in bulk.

When asked how she met the bulk orders, she said: "At certain times, the orders get overwhelming because every member of the public needs a mask and, as a team, we cannot jeopardize the quality of our masks by rushing through the orders just to produce a large quantity. But we have developed strategies on how to speed up our production without jeopardising the quality. The lack of normal access to the fabric stores also slows us down in instances where more material is needed."

As the government is doing, she is also encouraging the citizens to wear them in public spaces. "It is important that every member of the public adheres to the rules of the government and gets themselves at least two quality fabric masks that are comfortable and washable," she said. 

She can be reached on 079 757 3546.

Date:25 May 2020

By: Mbulaheni Ridovhona

The 22-year-old Mbulaheni (Gary) Ridovhona has been passionate about journalism to the extent that he would buy himself a copy of weekly Univen students' newsletter, Our Voice. After reading, he would write stories about his rural village, Mamvuka, and submit them to the very newsletter for publication. His deep-rooted love for words and writing saw him register for a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies at the University of Venda, and joined the Limpopo Mirror team in February 2016 as a journalism intern.

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