News24 | WATCH | From trash to cash: A Pretoria artist is turning discarded items into art

• Artist Tseko Monyamane creates decorative vases.
• He works at a library in Pretoria.
• His first customer was his boss.

When he's not managing the shelves at a library in Pretoria, Tseko Monyamane spends his downtime transforming discarded reusable materials into decorative vases.  

"When I started, I had no idea what I was doing. It began simply out of love for art," he told News24.  

With the help of online tutorials, he was able to find his feet. He collects ribbons, pins, wool, and bottles, items most would overlook, and repurposes them into art pieces.

His first creation? A glass bottle converted into a vase and woven with a woollen rainbow of colours. 

Eight months after threading wool in random colours around bottles, Monyamane made his first sale. 

"My boss was the first to buy a vase," said Monyamane. "Soon after, more people became interested in my work."

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This was in 2018 - it marked a turning point in his art career - it fuelled his passion. He began dedicating more time to his craft, realising his designs could be an extra source of income for his family.  

Back to his first love

Designing comes naturally to Monyamane. When he was a child, he won top prizes during art competitions at school.

At home, his parents decorated their house generously.

Monyamane draws inspiration from renowned South African artists, including Dr Esther Mahlangu. 

Beyond artistry, Monyamane's work is rooted in sustainability. His artist name is Jukkulus.

The name is derived from African folklore about The Jackal and the Hare. 

Monyamane said:

His vases are crafted from items that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.

"So much of what ends up in dumps could have been repurposed into something beautiful. We have to think before we throw things away."