Bringing The Spirit Of Shweshwe To Our Doggy Pals

There’s an open yard that borders a veterinary clinic in Randburg, Johannesburg. It’s not difficult to find but is easily overlooked. However, despite its dusty-camouflaged exterior, it nurtures a beautiful secret – The Spirit of Shweshwe.

- Kim Laxton

On a Saturday morning, if one chooses to visit this seemingly ordinary yard, one would be greeted by a frenetic flurry of fur: barks, yaps; laughter, chatter; “sits” and “stays”; excitement, anticipation; wagging tails. The dust settles, and one would be part of a puppy training class. However, there’s a visual quality to this cacophony of words and woofs, that being the splash of colour around puppy necks, on key-tags and COVID-19 facemasks.

This colour is the Benlu brand. Carmen Bekker, a powerful advocate and passionate protagonist for rescue animals, founded Benlu Collars in 2018.