Celebrate Life – Born-frees On The State Of The Nation

KARABO MOKOENA

is a biological scientist and researcher who is currently doing her MSc in the cryopreservation of microalgae at Wits University. With rapid environmental and climate changes taking place, she hopes to conserve the biodiversity of algae. She is also the founder of Nalane, a natural hair care range.

“The way I see it… I’d like more black women to work in scientific fields and prove that they are fully capable of being on par with their white male counterparts, who currently dominate the field. Knowing that the world is my oyster, I’m pushing through all obstacles to make it to the top. I understand that I’m operating in an industry that was never created for me, but I refuse to leave it. I work very hard and won’t allow discriminatory attitudes to deter me — I deserve to be where I am. My dream is to, someday, own an institute for black scientists, where each person can carry out whatever research they wish to, without restrictions. Funding (for research) is scarce, and there are many other limitations in science institutions. This is why I’d like to create a hub where we don’t have to worry about anything but our research.

I want to see our country move forward, and we can make this happen through encouraging a culture of entrepreneurship. We urgently need to tap out of the mindset of going to school only to graduate and become employees. We have to create job opportunities for ourselves. I wish to see young black women helming these changes. There’s so much potential for us to succeed. It’s just a matter of the government making information about funding opportunities more accessible. I want my generation to know that entrepreneurship is a viable option.”

ZAMOKUHLE NTSELE

is a junior PR consultant who founded Siblings Keeper, her one-woman initiative aimed at assisting unemployed graduates. It started as a way for her to help friends back home eMadadeni in rural KZN. She then took it a step further by editing their CVs, applying on their behalf and, in some cases, prepping them for interviews.

“The way I see it… It’s our generation’s responsibility to uplift and build South Africa, because we, the youth, are the future of the country. I got my job through other people, so I understand that everyone needs a helping hand. This is how I ended up checking up on my unemployed friends back home, and decided to pay it forward by doing what others had done for me. Through Siblings Keeper, I assist with the entire job-hunting process. I even lend candidates my clothes when needed, and let them sleep over at my place if their interview is in Joburg and they have no friends or relatives to host them. Job-huntingishard,andwe’remade to believe that getting an education will make it easier. However, this isn’tthecaseinourcountry—you get a degree and then while away time, sitting at home. I may be considered a Born Free, but we couldn’t be further from freedom. Our generation is burdened with many struggles, including low access to quality education, high unemployment rates, and a lack of pride in our identity. Democracy promised us the world, but those ideals are yet to be realised. Until economic equality is a reality, we can’t ever claim to be free.

I feel like the ruling party likes dangling jobs in our faces. They know we need them, but they first want us to vote for them before delivering on their promises. I believe that we, the Born Frees, are the change South Africa has been waiting for — we don’t just take things lying down. This is exactly why I’m fighting to make a difference.”

TSHIAMO SETSHWAELO

is a data scientist, social entrepreneur and co-founder of Social Coding SA. The Rustenburg-born wiz found her calling in technology after completing an honours degree in Big Data Analytics at Wits University. Social Coding SA’s core function is to train girls from disadvantaged communities in coding and artificial intelligence, as well as innovative entrepreneurship, so as to give them a head start in technology.

“The way I see it… Tech is a challenging space for women — you literally have to go over and beyond to prove yourself. As a woman, the automatic assumption is that you could never be a programmer, meaning you have to be one of the support staff members. As a country, we haven’t done much to break gender stereotypes — we desperately need to define our own place as women in tech. We’re constantly fighting to be seen and shown respect. In essence, most tech workplaces don’t fully represent people like me, and this is why I’m passionate about Social Coding SA, an organisation that I started with Thembiso Magajana. We started as a girls’ only tech and IT training facility, but we now have a 60% girls and 40% boys split.

The government keeps talking about how we’re moving towards a fourth industrial revolution, which is basically a technologically-driven change, and I’d like to see rural and township children benefit from it too. With the way things are in education, how is our government going to expose these children to this phenomenon, when some of them haven’t even seen a computer? My wish is for the fourth industrial revolution to be introduced to everyone, so that a black child from rural KZN or Limpopo can also have a fair chance at making it . I see so many brilliant children fall through the cracks because of inequality. That needs to change, urgently! Diversity in tech isn’t just about giving previously disadvantaged communities access to computers. International tech companies (in the US, Asia and Europe) are now designing what the future will look like — they are controlling how we communicate and even influencing how we vote. A lack of diversity means we have a shortage of crucial voices in those decision-making roles, and this is resulting in critical shortcomings that will affect us immensely.”

TINA REDMAN

is a beatboxer and actress who uses her public platform to advocate for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community. You may remember her from presenting SABC1’s Reno Race ,ashow about renovating RDP houses across the country. She’s now on Generations: The Legacy, and also hosts beatboxing workshops with the American International School of Johannesburg.

“The way I see it… Acting has allowed me to be more than a storyteller — it’s also allowed me to express and embrace my identity. Without knowing it, while presenting Reno Race ,Iwasin fact opening doors for and representing black queer women in South Africa. I became more vocal about my sexuality after realising that I was positively influencing others who may have been uncomfortable with their queerness. I also co-host an Internet series titled We’re Queer, My Dear SA, with Shenay O’Brien, Jodi Deerling and Jaco Venter, where we talk about everything about being queer in South Africa — from religion and public affection, to our daily struggles as queer individuals. Our Constitution looks great on paper, but our reality is grim because it doesn’t protect people like me. Most people don’t know their rights, while others are selective about the things they fight for — it’s for these reasons that I feel we’re not completely free. And we won’t be until our police force is better equipped to look after everyone, equally. What are the chances that a black queer or transgender woman will get help from the police, if they’re not knowledgeable about the LGBTIQ+ community? We’re not free until we recognise that there’s a growing queer community in this country, and we must educate those who discriminate against them. I’m fortunate to be able to live my truth because I have a supportive family, but sadly, others don’t have this privilege. I put myself out there with the aim of giving a voice to those who’ve been forced to believe they’re voiceless. We’re not free until we have equal distribution of land, better job opportunities, a corruption-free government, improved healthcare and universal access to clean water and sanitation. I hope to see all these changes in my lifetime.”