When 12-year-old Bubele Jele, from Northcrest in Mthatha, first watched a classmate crocheting during a lesson, it changed her life — it helped shape her daily routine and her plans for the future.
She asked to be taught the basics, and then continued learning through YouTube tutorials, practising until she could complete her own pieces.
What started as curiosity became a small business.
Bubele crochets skirts, jerseys, hats and other items for customers who order items and pay a deposit.
She said she enjoyed creating things that people could use and wear.
“It feels good when someone buys something I made with my own hands.”
She began selling her work in 2024 and slowly built a customer base, mostly through people who shared her creations online.
Her interest in crocheting grew from wanting a practical skill.
She said living in SA made her think about unemployment at a young age.
“I heard grown-ups talking about how hard it was to find jobs, so I told myself I needed a skill that could help me one day.”
I want to teach others because maybe it can help them too.
— Bubele Jele
She believes young people need a skill, even when they are still at school.
She hopes her craft will be something she can rely on if she does not secure a formal job later in life.
Bubele also hopes to teach others. In the next two years, she plans to start showing young people in her community how to crochet and share basic business knowledge.
“I want to teach others because maybe it can help them too.
“We can use our hands to make something small and earn something.”
She believes that if more young people learnt practical skills, they could create small income opportunities for themselves.
Her goal is not only to grow her own business but also to help others her age learn something useful.
Support from people around her plays a major role in keeping her motivated.
Customers often post her work on social media, attracting new interest from outside her neighbourhood.
She says her strongest support comes from her mother, Busisiwe Jele.
Jele said she recognised her daughter’s passion and allowed her the space to explore it.
“I saw she loved crocheting, so I let her be.
“It kept growing, especially when she started using YouTube to learn how things were done.
“She crocheted and sold her work, coming up with something handmade — something she made herself.”
She said her daughter also enjoyed other creative activities, including baking and making bracelets.
Jele believes her daughter’s abilities are a gift.
“I thank God because he made her capable of these things.”
She also introduced rules at home to help her daughter stay focused.
“I noticed phones were draining our children’s minds.
“So I introduced a digital detox: 30 minutes only, and in those minutes she listens to Bible stories and general knowledge. She does not have a phone of her own,” Jele said.
On Friday, Bubele showcased her work at the annual Mthatha flea market. She was one of the youngest traders.
“Market days help me see what people like. I learn something new every time.”
The flea market prompted remarks from the local leadership.
King Sabata Dalindyebo mayor Nyaniso Nelani said for more than a decade the municipality had been working on long-term plans to support businesses in the town.
“Since 2009, we have been planning to turn half of Owen Street into a dedicated flea market venue that supports both formal and informal businesses.”
Nelani said the municipality had now reached the stage where it could strengthen its planning systems.
“We can now start developing proper business plans for infrastructure and identify local resource-mobilising providers.”
The progress visible today was once only an idea.
“We are seeing the kind of progress we once spoke about only in theory.”
Nelani emphasised the importance of supporting small local businesses for economic growth in the area.
“We support local entrepreneurs and encourage them to attend flea markets because they expose their businesses in the right direction.”
For Bubele, the market was not only a place to sell her work but also represented a step towards building the future she hoped to create with her own hands.
“Crocheting makes me feel confident. I want to keep learning and get better as I grow,” she said.
Daily Dispatch
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