"How Does One Buy?": Wheelchair-Bound KZN Man Makes Baskets from Bottle Caps to Survive, SA Reacts
- Simphiwe from Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, crafts handmade baskets and mats entirely from plastic colddrink bottle caps
- The wheelchair-bound craftsman sells his handmade creations for R600 each within his local community
- South Africans online were divided over the price, with many defending the skill and effort behind each piece
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Source: Facebook
Simphiwe is not letting anything slow him down. The KwaZulu-Natal craftsman, who uses a wheelchair, has turned an unlikely raw material — plastic colddrink bottle caps — into finely woven baskets and textile pieces he sells for R600 each in his Stanger community.
A video shared by Kasi Hustlers on Facebook on 3 November 2026 shows Simphiwe proudly displaying his work inside his home. The handmade items include intricately woven baskets and a large flag-patterned mat, all made from collected bottle caps. The clip quickly drew attention for the ingenuity behind the craft and the story of the man behind it.
Caps, creativity and survival in Stanger
What makes Simphiwe's work remarkable is not just the finished product but the process. Collecting enough bottle caps to fill even one basket requires patience and consistency, and doing so from a wheelchair adds another layer of difficulty to an already demanding craft. Each piece is designed and assembled entirely by hand.
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At R600 per item, some viewers questioned the price, but many others were quick to defend it, pointing to the labour, the materials and the determination required to produce each one.
View the Facebook vide below:
Mzansi reacts to Stanger craftsman's hustle
South Africans flooded the comments on the page with admiration, advice and offers of support:
Simbo Shweme Ndevu said:
"He's not serious, R600"
Qaqambile Keswa wrote:
"He must try supplying for Mr Price 🙏🤞🤞"
Chimwemwe Ayanda Halima added:
"For all those complaining about R600 think about the process. Collecting certain bottle caps is not pap and flies. He also had to come up with different ways to make the products."
Nomvelo Ngcobo said:
"Your price is reasonable for those who think it high, think about how much work he put making it and they are people that will support you 💯"
Ellen Koloko asked:
"How does one buy from Johannesburg? I support hard work and creativity. God bless you, brother."
More Briefly News stories on crafts and inventions
- South African scientist Kiara Nirghin co-founded Chima, a generative AI startup, after studying at Stanford; the company raised $5 million from global investors.
- Gqeberha’s Brick Beasts beat 143 schools to win Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2026, turning plastic bottles into 3D-printing material for sports equipment.
- Grade 11 and 12 learners in Mamelodi built Ngom-Ngom, an electric vehicle showcasing youth innovation and cleaner energy, sparking debate across South Africa.
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Source: Briefly News
