Story and photos by Lucille Davie
2 August 2005
There's the Hector Pieterson Museum, the Hector Pieterson School and a Hector Pieterson Street - now get ready for the Hector Pieterson clothing brand.
Two enterprising young Sowetans, Sina Molefi and Zuza Mbatha - both 26 - recently set up Abasha Creations to market clothing bearing the name of the famous 12-year-old who was the first to be killed in the June 1976 uprisings.
Molefi is Hector's half-sister. She is currently completing a fashion design diploma at Parktown College.
Mbatha, who used to design for Loxion Kulca, was keen to launch a label that had meaning for South African youth.
"I noticed Che Guevara T-shirts, and wondered whether people wearing them knew anything about him. I decided to start a brand that would mean something to young people - a brand related to history," he says.
He thought of using the late black consciousness hero Steve Biko's name but discovered it had been taken by designer label Stoned Cherrie. He then decided on Hector Pieterson and approached Antoinette Sithole, Hector's sister, who was working at the Hector Pieterson Museum in Orlando West.
Antoinette introduced him to Hector's mother, Dorothy Molefi, and that's when the real work began. Mbatha says it took six or seven months to persuade Dorothy to allow him to use the name. "I started a year ago. I believed it was a good idea, so I just had to be patient."
Dorothy finally agreed. She will earn royalties that will be used to build the Hector Pieterson Orphanage.
Hector Pieterson stands for the youth, says Mbatha. Molefi was herself an orphan from the age of 10. "Family and youth have to benefit," he says. He hopes to get companies to sponsor the orphanage.
The range will consist of T-shirts, jeans, takkies, caps and hats, belts, jewellery and socks, all bearing a distinctive logo with the letters HP above Hector's name.
"It's going to be big time," says Mbatha with a smile.
The Hector Pieterson brand was launched at SA Fashion Week at the end of July.
The Abasha Creations designer is Tshepo Moropa (22), who will be "going back to the streets" for inspiration.
"I'll play around with old school and urban styles, and combine them," he says. "Old school" describes the style of clothing worn by youngsters in 1976. An urban style refers to using cotton, denim, prints, embroidery and screenprinting.
But are they simply exploiting Hector's name for their own benefit?
"The youth must come up with their own ideas to create jobs, not to gain money," says Mbatha. "The Pieterson family must be looked after. No one is looking after them."
The range will be available in Johannesburg at the Y Shop in The Zone in Rosebank, and at Cyberzone in the Carlton Centre Shopping Centre.
Source: City of Johannesburg
