Zama Phakathi opened Stop Sign Art Gallery in 2013 inside a shipping container in order to provide a space for emerging artists to showcase their work. She chose a shipping container because she wanted the gallery to feel raw and represent reality, as shipping containers were once commonly used in townships. Phakathi loves the shipping container space, finding it inspiring. She sees herself as a free spirit and considers herself a work of art that can be framed through photography or painting. Phakathi's dream is for Stop Sign Art Gallery to expand internationally in order to educate more people through art.