South Africa's makarapa helmet king has moved from his township workshop to a factory to meet World Cup demand and expects the elaborate headgear to become a global craze after the tournament.

Dancing fans wearing the brightly painted hats made from converted plastic construction helmets, often paired with giant mock glasses, are a trademark of the South African game.

Former cleaner Alfred Baloyi, 52, invented the decorated helmets in 1979. A friend gave him a construction helmet for protection when watching his beloved Kaizer Chiefs soccer team, after a fellow fan was hit by a bottle.

Baloyi first starting painting the helmets, then he began adding horns and finally he started using a box knife to cut out elaborate stand-up designs. Baloyi, originally from northern Limpopo province, started selling a few at a time beside the road but his son and manager, Lovemore, 29, says they have since sold many thousands.

With demand booming for the humble invention ahead of the World Cup, they have opened a factory in the Wynberg area of Johannesburg where Lovemore says they are producing up to 80 makarapas a day.

The Baloyis hope the exposure of makarapas during the world's most watched sporting event will turn the helmets into a global craze for international football fans. Baloyi's success has enabled him to send his daughter Calphina, 21, to art school and buy a better house for his family in Limpopo province.