The Ndebele women of South Africa express themselves through their artwork.  Beads are used in the culture to decorate clothing, and sometimes is even the clothing itself.  Both men and women wear the beaded clothing although in recent times, these pieces are only worn during times of festivals or ceremonies.  Each artist has her own personal style, which often reflects their personal lives, their families, the changes in the world surrounding them.  Each has her own sense of creativity and design.  Women and girls wear aprons constructed out of the beads, varying depending on the age or the marital status of each individual.  During the wedding ceremony the apron is made from goatskin, and is called an isiphephetu.  This is a plain apron during the wedding, and throughout her married life the woman herself adds the bead-work which reflects the various changes that occur throughout her life time.  This apron is worn for the rest of her life, for special and significant occasions.

Traditional Ndebele works from the early 1900′s are different from the works of today.  The past work consisted of mainly white beads, with accents of orange and green.  When one compares the work throughout the years, one becomes aware the white backgrounds become smaller and smaller, and the field becomes more colorful.  This could have a connection with the growing use of color in the mural paintings on the houses, the businesses and the boutique hotels.  South Africa is a colorful country, and the changing artwork reflects that as more commercial paints become available to the artists.  However noticeable this shift in color is to the eye, not much research has been conducted as to the exact cause for the transition.  It could just have to do with the way style and fashion changes over time, in all regions and cities of the world.  The artwork has been one of the aspects which allow the Ndebele to maintain a group awareness and consciousness.  Their cultural identity has been threatened throughout history due to the relocation of the tribes due to war and turbulence.  Their art allowed them to hold on to their identity, regardless of where they were.