While dowsing for water in 1992,Anton on Starways, came across an old burial site. Gwyneth’s father Geraint Lloyd was consulted and the advice given was “Go and find the oldest man in your vicinity.” The next day Anton was walking from the rented accommodation to the then seemingly vacant bramble covered Starways.

He met on his way a man smiling laughing working with two donkeys willingly pulling a load of firewood from the forest. This man said “Yes he knew who was buried on Starways” He with Anton crept through the brambles until they came to a mound the woodcutter with a laugh patted the mound hard and said “Hier le my Pa” “Here lies my Father.”

The little laughing woodcutter was Enoch Mafika. Anton made a promise that day that while Starways was under his care no buildings would be built there anyone wanting to visit could and that Enoch could cut any wattles growing on the burial ground.

A year later the relationship between the Mafika Family and Starways developed. The family brought along a smiling strong man known as Willie. Anton was told they had brought Willie to work at Starways with Anton. No job interview no contract, the beginning of a working relationship between the two families.

Later Luyanda, Willie’s younger brother joined the pottery also as an apprentice potter. By 1999, most of Anton’ skills had been transferred to Luyanda and Willie and Starways pottery had been built with the wonderful energy these men brought. Inroads had been made into low wages paid in the immediate vicinity and the basis for a lifelong partnership was forged.

This was the arrangement struck; For every brick or stone laid at Starways a similar structure built at Mafika’s home half a kilometer down the road from Starways. Funding was sought from the National Department of Arts and Culture and awarded to the project. A pottery building and shed was designed and erected pottery making equipment was acquired and installed, kilns were installed and fired up. The woodcutting family were now woodcutters and potters.

The Hogsback and Eastern Cape community rose to the occasion and donations of land, materials and equipment were received to the project. The single most valuable contribution was the land on which the Mafika Pottery was situated that was donated by Peter and Wouter of The Edge” Hogsback.

This pottery continues as it was conceived as a poverty alleviation project supplying piles of well crafted pottery sold to the tourist trade flowing through Hogsback. New apprentices are being trained and a happy collaboration between the two businesses and families at Starways Pottery and Mafika Pottery continues.