The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), Alexandra Abrahams, presented the keynote address and announced the winners of the prestigious annual Furniture Design Competition. The Student category was won by Elani Bothman of Potchefstroom Academy, Northwest Province and the Established Manufacturer category by Leago Lekganyane of Mtheza Legacy Holdings Centurion, Gauteng.

The Student category was open to design students enrolled at South African educational institutions, while the Established Manufacturers category catered to manufacturing businesses with in-house design capabilities. Winners and finalists received prizes from sponsors, including Lewis Group, Homewood, Furntech, the dtic, Proudly South African, the African Institute of Interior Design Professions, PG Bison, and Rubio Monocoat.

Elani’s design for the Mvelo desk centres on the idea of a union, inspired by Zulu symbols that represent marriage and harmony. Leago’s company, Mtheza Legacy Holdings, designed the Moya coffee table, which easily fits in the back seat area of most cars. The table does not use connectors and is held together by friction and its own weight.

The competition is hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), and, among others, the South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI), the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and Proudly South African.

Abrahams said the furniture sector was designated a priority sector in 2012 and remains crucial to the government’s plans to boost manufacturing and industrial capacity.

“We should recognise the enabling role government can play in this industry: with the state procuring more than R2 billion in furniture annually, public expenditure can be positioned in a disciplined and market-supportive manner to expand opportunities for local manufacturers, crowd in private investment, and strengthen employment across the value chain,” said Abrahams.