A Taste of Joburg: Makotis Fabric Store in Northcliff

I’ve been so busy catching up on posts about my recent travels around South Africa, I’ve hardly had time to blog about Joburg since the 2Summers relaunch last month. Before I run off on my next road trip tomorrow (it’s a good one!), here’s a quick post about the Northcliff branch of Makotis, a fabric store on Beyers Naudé Drive.

Inside Makotis, one of Joburg’s most popular outlets for South African shweshwe fabric. Makotis also sells African wax print, Venda and Tsonga fabrics, and non-African fabrics of all kinds.

Makotis: An Iconic Joburg Brand

Makotis has a history going back to the early 1960s. Their most well-known store is in downtown Joburg, at 112 Helen Joseph Street, and somehow I have never been there. But a couple of years ago, I noticed Makotis opened a new location in Northcliff, in a quirky little centre wedged between Northcliff Corner and the Impala Centre on Beyers Naudé. It’s totally charming and I’ve been meaning to blog about it ever since.

“Makoti” is a Zulu word referring to a newly married woman or bride, which is how the store got its name. It’s a store where young women and their families would traditionally go to purchase the fabrics and other supplies needed for their bridal wardrobe and trousseau.

Inside Makotis Northcliff. As you can see, in addition to fabric they also sell knitting supplies and haberdashery – basically anything that relates to making clothes.

Fiver’s hair matches the yarn.

I’m no seamstress so I rarely buy fabric. But I never tire of looking through all the colors and patterns of shweshwe. Shweshwe, produced by Da Gama Textiles in Zwelitsha, Eastern Cape, has a fascinating history and is known as “the denim of South Africa”.

All authentic De Gama shweshwe has this special “Three Cats” trademark on the underside. I love it.

I can’t decide which I love more – the print on the fabric or the print on the salesman’s shirt.

Pretty buttons.

Makotis’ Northcliff branch is in a very cool little shopping centre, which feels like a mini Oriental Plaza to me. Makotis is located on the first floor (if you get confused, look for the arrows painted on the floor that point you in the direction of the stairwell), and on the ground floor there’s an Indian restaurant, a halal bakery, a combined cobbler and key-cutting shop, a tailor, and a clothes shop, along with several other small businesses.

The combined cobbler/key-cutter.

Fiver headed toward the tailor, where she had some pillow covers made.

Fiver and Solly, the tailor, discuss her beautiful pillow covers. Fiver knitted the squares and had Solly attach solid-color backings to them.

If you want to buy fabric but don’t feel like trekking to Fordsburg or into town, Makotis Northcliff is a great option. The address is 159 Beyers Naudé Drive, Northcliff.

2Summers 15th-Anniversary Announcement!

On a totally different topic, I want to announce that the 2Summers blog turns 15 in June 2025. (In fact, my first post was published 15 years ago tomorrow.) To celebrate this milestone, I am planning a fun event in Brixton on 21 June. The event will include a mini walking tour of Brixton by the Blogitects, a curry dinner at Breezeblock, vinyl tunes from the fabulous DJ Charles Leonard, and an exciting door prize: A limited-edition linocut print from Thorsten’s Brixton Monuments series.

We will celebrate with bubbly and koesisters/cake made by Joburg’s most talented baker, Yola Minnaar. And perhaps best of all, the profits from the event will go toward the purchase of new equipment for Dennis Dlomo’s Fantastic Fitness Club.

The Blogitects in Brixton.

Joburg’s most perfect food.

Dennis Dlomo, the fittest and hardest-working Brixtonite I know.

There are only 25 tickets available for this event, so please book now on Quicket. I’m really excited!