KNYSNA NEWS - With the lockdown extended, a Sedgefield resident has joined the ranks of producing homemade cloth masks, but is making his version out of African print fabric.
Mike Obi has responded to health minister Zweli Mkhize's recommendation for people to wear cloth masks.
On Friday last week, Mkhize called on the public to refrain from using medical masks as they are reserved for health workers. "We are recommending that people use
cloth masks and just make sure there's a three-layer kind of thing," Mkhize said.
Even when wearing a mask, the minister said, hand-washing and social distancing remain the most important.
As to taking care of the masks, Mkhize said, "Wash masks with soap and water immediately without using chemicals and wash your hands again. Don't share the mask with anybody else and it is preferable that every person has two masks so they can interchange during washes."
Obi is making the three-layer masks at his home and is selling them to Knysna residents. "After noticing the need for masks, I decided to start using my sewing machine… I use African wax prints also known as Ankara which is a common material for clothing in Africa. I feel people need the masks and that African feeling in their fight against this virus," he said.
Obi said he is unemployed and is using his sewing skills to make ends meet. "People will need the masks to go and get food," he said.
One of Mike Obi's African print masks.
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