Women recognised for their vital work
Categories and winners This year’s categories and winners are:
The Outstanding Creative Award is given to a woman who positively uses her creative talents to uplift women in society. This is including, but not limited to, the areas of motivational speaking, poetry, fine art and writing.
Winner Masego Thlakanye had this to say after winning the award: “I have tears in my eyes, because I always wonder with the rate of rape in our country, with femicide in our country — what’s there to celebrate? But I have to say to all of us as women today, it might be hard, even in the workplace, to fight for respect. We’ve come a long way, but we must continue fighting.”
The Young Dignitary Award is for a basic education learner who positively influences her peers. She is a determined and dedicated young learner who never tires of helping others in different ways.
Stacey Fru, the winner of the award, was overjoyed. “I’m so honoured and so surprised to win the award — and I promise you all that I will continue to do good things for the community and youth of South Africa,” she said.
The Outstanding Youth Philanthropist Award winner demonstrates outstanding community service through direct financial support, facilitating development programmes, volunteering in the community and providing leadership in the community.
Winner of the award Mpho Mofokeng was a runner-up for the award in 2016. “This year I finally got the award, so many thanks to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. Thank you for the recognising the good work we’re doing in our communities,” she said.
The Community Heroine Award goes to a person who has the qualities of a hero — she’s a woman known for her outstanding achievements and noble qualities. This award winner inspires excellence and paves the way for others to achieve greatness.
Helen Mthembu, winner of this award, said: “This award goes out to every single teenage girl. We have a network of over 3 000 girls across Gauteng who are leaders in their own community, and that’s because I felt there was a need for young girls to rise up, do community projects and mentor other young girls.”
The Community Builder Award goes to a woman who has shown courage in developing her community. This award winner is a leader who inspires collective action through business ventures or income-generating initiatives.
Agnes Magodzho, winner of the award, was left speechless. Her community-building efforts have spanned years, and she is renowned for her work in HIV prevention and support. “Thank you to everybody — my staff, to God, my community. I am so overjoyed at winning this award,” she said.
The Woman of Honour Award goes to an outstanding woman achiever in a traditionally male dominated industry, and one has contributed to job creation for women. Award winner Anna Nkele Zondo said winning was “an amazing feeling, and thank you to the people who have mentored me”.
The Unsung Legend award winner is a woman who never sought fame or reward for her labours, but has served her community tirelessly and with passion.
Corrine McClintock said this on winning her award: “First of all, thank you to the Lord for taking me on this journey. I’d like to say thank you to everyone who helped us, whose help keep me going and focussed for the past 28 years working in the community.”
The Guardian Award is given to a woman who has demonstrated exceptional work in the police or military sector, defending the rights of all South Africans. The winner this year was Adele van Zyl.
Bertha Gxowa was posthumously awarded the Speaker’s Special Award for her dedication to fighting apartheid, and her nation-building efforts in democratic South Africa. Her political awakening began when she lived in the Germiston location, and she volunteered to be in one of the first groups participating in the defiance campaign. She was a part of the ANC Youth League during the anti-Bantu education campaign, and then became of the founding members of the Federation of South African Women, who organised the 1956 Women’s March.
She was a defendant in the Treason Trial and was banned for 11 years in 1960 under the Suppression of Communism Act. In post-apartheid South Africa, she was a member of Parliament, and served as the national treasurer of the ANC Women’s League and as chairperson for Gauteng.
Rita Alice Ndzanga won the Lifetime Achievement award for her illustrious history as a struggle stalwart. Her first job was working with the Brick and Tile Workers Union. Soon after, she became the secretary of the South African Congress of Trade Unions. She also took part in the historical 1956 Women’s March. In 1964 she was banned from working with trade unions was detained under the Terrorism Act in 1969.
She became involved with the Federation of Transvaal Women in 1984, and in 1999, she served as a Member of Parliament. In 2004 she received the Order of Luthuli Award. The story of Ndzanga is the story of all those who did not accept apartheid, and who put their lives on the line to see the fall of this system that infringed so violently upon human rights.
‘As we mark the closure of women’s month, we would like to honour the women of Gauteng — young and old’