Making coffins for a living
2004-02-02 10:42
Thohoyandou - Mpo Miriri's mother nearly died of fright when she found coffins stacked in her son's room one day in May last year.
She had no clue that he'd decided to make coffins to earn a living, and thought he'd gone mad.
"My mother was very shocked," remembers Miriri with a chuckle, "but now she supports me."
Miriri lives in Funyufunyu village near Thohoyandou in Limpopo and abandoned his table-making business because he wasn't making money.
He did some research and realised that there weren't any street vendors making coffins.
He decided to fill the gap in the market and started visiting coffin factories to learn how they were made.
So far, he's made six and, even though he's only been able to sell one to date, he's been wooed by local undertaking firms who want to hire him.
But Miriri wants to be his own boss.
"Many undertakers have approached me for my service, but they don't want to put their money where their mouths are," Miriri said.
He hopes to be able to hire disabled people and unemployed youths to help him, but he needs a factory first.
If he crams any more into his room, his mom will really think he's gone mad.