Special Report – Class of 2019
Mzansi’s future is being built on the shoulders of courageous women. We salute these inspirational game changers who, in their unique ways, are making our country a better place!
LIVHUWANI NEFOLOVHODWE, 28, Podcast Host of Lessons with Lion (voted Top 5 Best Podcasts for 2018 by Entrepreneur Magazine), Digital Marketing Strategist and Social Commentator.
“What drove me to start Lessons with Lion was my passion for South African SMMEs. I realised that our entrepreneurs are incredibly talented and determined — what was missing was affordable knowledge that could help them improve certain processes in their businesses. Being a woman in 2019 means using technology and social media to disrupt spaces that have historically been reserved for men. The year 2019 is the dawn of a time when women have loud voices that have impact. This is the era of the Girl Boss!” KAGISO LEGODI, 24, Founder of I AM SHE, an initiative that aims to address and redress the social gender inequalities of the past through women empowerment.
“I hope that when people look at me, they see or think of a force – a powerhouse. It feels amazing to be considered a person who is breaking barriers in their field. I have learnt that other women are not my competition – the pie is truly big enough for everyone. The top three things I’d like to achieve include, creating an environment where women feel free to share their stories without judgement, building a home for homeless kids where they will be showered with love, and travelling the world so I can heal women through my craft of writing and spoken word. I believe it’s my destiny to touch people’s lives.”
GAONE TLHONG, 34, Founder of Beyond Vitiligo, a non-profit organisation creating awareness on vitiligo in South Africa and beyond through support, education and acceptance.
“When I was 22, a trauma caused my vitiligo to reappear, which took me back to the bullying I experienced during my childhood. I felt hopeless, isolated and not beautiful enough. What I didn’t know was that all I went through was preparing me for a breakthrough. I feel honoured to be one of the first organisations in South Africa to think beyond medications for vitiligo – the idea was to improve the living standards for people with vitiligo. I bring all stakeholders (pharmaceutical companies, dermatologists, schools and families) under one umbrella so we can fight the stigma, and positively contribute to communities by educating them about the condition.”
RUBY CHIKWIRI, 22, UCT graduate, Unicef Volunteer, and Founder of #DressAGraduate. The initiative facilitates the donation of graduation-appropriate attire, graduation gowns, make-up, hair and photography services for graduates in need across South Africa. Chikwiri also started a pad drive initiative in 2013, which earned her the Lead SA Youth Hero award.
“My family encouraged me to be kind, creative and believe that I was capable of anything I set my mind to. This is what has enabled me to embark on creative humanitarian initiatives. To me, being an advocate for positive change means that I’m doing my duty as a citizen. I’m actively playing my part in creating the equal, sustainable and positive society that I want to live in. I live by the Maya Angelou quote, ‘Nothing will work unless you do.’ My aim is for people to look at me and see a fellow human being who is passionately using her voice to make our society stronger and more equal.” ZAZA MOTHA, 35, Founder & Director of POUT MOVEMENT (Powerful, Outstanding, Unique and Talented.) The movement comprises of media, outreach (events & workshops), merchandise and a leadership programme. Through these pillars, the aim is to increase the human capital of young women through self-empowerment, while also being independent and entrepreneurial in their outlook on life.
“My story started when I witnessed the death of my mother at age seven, towards the end of apartheid. I made a promise then to tell the world my story as I felt a sense of injustice. This led to a journey of discovering the challenges faced by the girl child, and the yearning of a space where I could find direction. Women’s Month is important as it puts women in sharp focus. The reason why we need to celebrate it is because for a long time, women were considered second-class citizens who were deprived of many rights. Although there are laws that promote the enrichment of women in different areas, it’s not directly translated to the masses of ordinary women. The reality of women has to be an illustration of the rights enshrined in the Constitution.”
SEWELA MOKOENA, 29, First black woman in South Africa to make her own brand of gin, Eleven28 Gin. “It took courage and bravery for me to venture into the alcohol business. Now, I get to inspire and challenge, not only others, but myself daily. I want to create the kind of change I wish I had growing up – to weave in a ‘can-do’ culture. There’ve been many obstacles along the way, but I’ve never given up as every challenge presented an opportunity for me to be innovative. I want to inspire people to have the heart to start. Lastly, if there’s one thing you can control, it’s how you react to challenges.”
SIHLE BOLANI, 36, Author of We Are The Ones We Need who left corporate South Africa as a thriving communication specialist, after facing discrimination. Through her book, and Working While Black, a platform for black professionals to find a community, solace and assistance, Bolani has since become an advocate for change. “We’re lacking in terms of black women representation across the board in corporate spaces. When you see women in positions of leadership, they don’t have much organisational power. We’re always in the back end when it comes to policies that speak to our needs. This is why representation is important. I’m fighting for inclusion and diversity, bearing in mind that mindsets need to change. It isn’t only about policy, but the way people look down on black women. We have to get to a point where the world embraces and acknowledges the brilliance of black women.”
SARAY KHUMALO, 47, First black woman to summit Mount Everest. Khumalo is an executive by day, and found purpose in her 7 Summits initiative. The aim is to use climbing to raise funds to build libraries for underprivileged schools in South Africa. “Mount Kilimanjaro was on my bucket list so I joined friends who were going to summit it in 2012. We decided to support a home in Benoni, and got people to donate R8 for every kilometre we climbed. The money was used to build an outdoor gym and a small library. One of the little kids there was in awe. They were surprised I was from the township and looked like them. That was my Aha! moment, and I’ve never looked back. We shouldn’t put a limit to what our kids can do. I chose to climb for education because it’s the most valuable investment you can ever give anyone.”
REARABETSWE KITOKO, 25, Owner of a perfume line that consists of Kgosi and Kgosigadi, one of many products that are part of the R & L Brand Elite.
“For me, being an entrepreneur was never about breaking barriers, but rather about doing something that I love. Unfortunately, the world constantly puts limitations on what women can do and achieve. It then became evident that the barriers set before me as a chemical engineer in the beauty industry needed to be broken. Being a pioneer takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s also essential to ensure that when rewriting history, we are also setting new conditions to accommodate all women. That’s why Women’s Month is so important – it’s an opportunity for us to come together to share, reflect and pave a new way forward. Women all over the world are breaking barriers, so it’s crucial for us to celebrate and uplift each other.”
LINDA MABHENA-OLAGUNJU, 35, Energy Entrepreneur who started the DLO Africa Power Roundtable as a platform that hosts various gatherings of government, key investors and stakeholders in Africa’s energy sector. “I wanted to contribute to the economic development of our continent, and have always believed that entrepreneurship plays a key role. We don’t have an enabling environment to encourage entrepreneurship, starting with the lack of electricity, which is crucial to the functioning of any business. It’s important for black African women, who are the most undervalued people on earth, to occupy spaces that are reserved for others. I want young black African girls to see what is possible by being an example. Ideally, the African child will be confident, self-aware and proud of being an African.”
GOGO DINEO NDLANZI, 38, Sangoma, Spiritual Healer and Founder of the Gogo Dineo Ndlanzi Institute of Spiritual Healing. She can be heard on The Fresh Breakfast on Metro FM, where she demystifies beliefs on traditional African medicine and methods. “I started to share my own experiences as iSangoma and realised there was nothing to be apologetic about. I speak internationally because I have pride as an African, and in the practice of Ubungoma. Spiritual intervention can really help people deal with the things they’re struggling with and can’t seem to cure in conventional ways. As black women, we need to know how powerful we are. History has dehumanised us, but we are divine. In history, the divine have always been women. We are nurturers and givers.”
PHUMZILE SITOLE, 29, NYC-based South African Actress. She has starred on The Good Fight as well as the Netflix series Orange is the New Black.
“From the beginning of time, people have used storytelling to heal and uplift one another. As a performer, I use my craft to tell stories that could possibly speak life into someone. That’s a big responsibility – to give a voice to the voiceless. Devoting a month to the life bringers of the world is extremely important, particularly in a climate where we see how harmful toxic masculinity can be when left unchecked.”
MAGS TSHIVANDA, 35, Digital and Social Entrepreneur, Mentor and Women Activist. As founder of DigitalShero, Tshivanda helps clients build their brands in an efficient way. She’s also founder of #Bloemgirlsrock, which supports upcoming female entrepreneurs. “Transformation has always been at the core of what I do – I am passionate about opening up spaces that were not initially meant for a black girl. I also believe in learning from the women who’ve paved the way for us. It’s so easy to be a victim of blowing your own horn. There’s so much power in the solidarity of women, even though society makes women despise being each other’s ladders and cheerleaders. Even when I work with male clients, you’ll find that their wives are cheering on our business relationship, to an extent that they are probably the ones who referred me. Basically, I am where I am today because of women. Being a woman is a privilege.”
AYANDA-ALLIE PAINE, 32, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport, Development Practitioner through Bukho Bami Youth Centre, and Broadcaster through Shekinah Media. “I love being a catalyst, and working alongside others to make a small difference. One receives more by giving. We learn from each other – as iron sharpens iron, so, too, does man sharpen the countenance of man. For me, Women’s Month is not enough, but it’s a great start. Issues that affect women are too vast and significant to unpack in just 31 days a year. Each day, women face gender-based violence, a lack of parity in the workplace, patriarchy and sexism. Such issues must be prioritised all year round. Having said that, Women’s Month reminds us that we, as women, have agency and that change is possible if we unite and work together towards a common vision.”
BOITUMELO KATISI, 27, Commercial Pilot and Co-founder of Aviation Development In Africa. The main purpose for the company is to create aviation awareness amongst children in disadvantaged backgrounds so that they may be exposed to opportunities, mentorships and skills development in the aviation industry.
“I have faced the struggle of not having the means, information and financial support required to chase my dreams – now I can be the change. I want to ensure that other black kids don’t walk the tough road I did. I was fortunate to have five companies sponsor me in order to become a commercial pilot, but it wasn’t easy. I’ve found my purpose in giving back. I understand that representation matters because kids look up to me. I hope to achieve my dream of having my own charter company, and to be able to teach people how to fly. I truly want every kid to know their dreams are valid.”
NICOLETTE MASHILE, 30, Social Entrepreneur, Consumer Financial Education content developer and broadcaster. Mashile is also a serial entrepreneur in her spare time. “The finance industry, although very open to women, is still tainted by patriarchal ways of doing things. Women are celebrated, but only if they stick to their lanes. In some instances, women have to be overqualified in order to be given recognition. Then in walks me, who didn’t study finance and does things in an unconventional way – it makes many people uncomfortable. Of course, I struggled a lot to get to this point of my career, but one day, I just decided to ignore the rules – the pre-requisites, and societal expectations – and just did me. I am a magical sauce!” NTOMBENHLE KHATHWANE, 41, Entrepreneur, Founder and CEO of AfroBotanics, a natural personal and home care manufacturing business, with products ranging from natural hair care, baby products and eco-friendly dishwashing liquid sold in leading retail chains like Clicks.
“My personal mission statement is ‘I create a world of equal opportunity by igniting African capability’. Breaking into retail and successfully competing against global brands means we can produce that which we consume at international standards; it means changing the narrative about Africa. My advice to young women would be to cling onto their authenticity and let that be their guiding system when making decisions, especially in work and business.”
YOLISWA NOMAMPONDOMISE YAKO, 36, EFF Member of Parliament and Former Chairwoman for the Municipal Public Accounts committee in the National Council of Provinces.
“It means the world to me to be given the opportunity to serve people at a governance level. I grew up never having participated in politics. For me, being an activist, and being seen by my party as a valuable contributor to the well-being of our people, is a task I don’t take for granted. It’s important for young women to understand the dynamics of the world. Black women in particular, are made to jump hoops, just to be seen. We are pitted against one another, when there is actually enough space for all of us to thrive.”
DR NONHLANHLA SITOLE, 34, Geneticist whose doctorate focused on the cancer genetics of cervical cancer cells. Her greatest achievement was obtaining a PhD in a field that has contributed to the greater knowledge of how cancer progresses and the treatment options available. “Women’s Month is necessary, most especially at a time when women are not valued. What is more important is what we focus on and talk about during women’s month. The agenda should not only be led by women because we are not the ones perpetuating the violence and discrimination that we experience daily. Also, the focus on women’s issues should extend to more than just one. In the pursuit of your dreams, do not fear the struggles and challenges that you come across, because on the other side of all the pain and discomfort, is a stronger and more powerful version of you.”
NOZIPHO ZULU, 33, Founder of ZuluGal Retro, a PTY company that recycles flexible laminated packaging, fabric and PVC material into a variety of handcrafted fashion accessories and home decor items. The eco-friendly crafts are handmade by the unemployed, differently-abled youth and caregivers, trained by ZuluGal Retro.
“It’s actually fulfilling to know that I’ve launched a company that enables me to apply my arts and designing skills to solve unemployment amongst economically marginalised individuals. Further fulfilment comes from running ZuluGal Retro, a company contributing towards the creation of sustainable fashion and the preservation of the environment. Women’s Month is of significant importance to me as a female social entrepreneur. Women reflect in solidarity and think of how we can effect change. Humanity is affirmed when we affirm others. Let’s unlock our potential, apply our skills and lift others up.” NOKULINDA MKHIZE, 34, Sangoma and Traditional Healer. Mkhize is passionate about sharing knowledge about Ubungoma, highlighting the ‘common sense’ in the cosmology of iSintu. “Women’s Month represents both a triumph and reminder of where we have been, and where we still need to go to ensure justice and equality for all. I’m reminded that African women have always led, subversively and overtly and fought against injustice in their personal lives and the world. It’s important that young African women remember that we’re not the first and we will not be the last to break new ground and ascend the limits imposed on us.”
MBALI MAKHATHINI, 33, Group Environmental and Social Risk Manager for
FirstRand Limited. As a scientist performing an advisory and strategic function in corporate finance, part of her role entails reviewing and providing opinions on scientific documents provided by clients as part of an environmental due diligence performed by environmental specialists, as well as ensuring compliance with respective regulatory requirements and international best practice. She is also the 2011 Miss Earth South Africa first runner-up.
“I’m an advocate of young black women in corporate spaces, which is why I partnered with the Black Women in Science (BWIS) for their mentorship programme, the BWISConnect. I facilitate connecting young black female academics and BWIS alumni to corporate professions in the sustainability field. Environmental science, sustainability and climate change in its entirety is a limited industry, with very few black female faces. I hope to change the narrative on how scientists are portrayed in society, and to inspire our scientists to think bigger than being field workers and lab analysts. I wish I’d had a mentor to help me navigate the corporate environment early in my career.”
SONTO POOE, 40, Founder and CEO of Nativechild, a natural hair and body care brand. “I’ve always wanted to run a company that encourages clients to love and embrace who they are despite what society sets as beauty standards, and to be mindful of what they put on their bodies. We receive many messages of gratitude from customers who say we ‘set them free’ and allow them to ‘rock’ their ’fros.”
FARAH FORTUNE, 40, Publicist and Owner of PR firm, African Star Communications. “In my line of work, there’s no greater feeling than knowing that someone trusted you to build their brand. My advice for young women would be, ‘Do it all!’ Whatever they said you couldn’t do, you can! Fight for your place and then make room for your sisters!” DR NCUMISA JILATA, 32, Neurosurgeon, who made history by being the youngest one, not only in the country but in Africa. Her training days at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha inspired her speciality.
“I’d love to live in a world where we no longer have to speak of women being included in male-dominated fields, which is why Women’s Day is extremely important. We need to revise strategies for a more inclusive society. Women’s Month is perfect for us to remind ourselves of our ‘womanity’, and that we stand together for the same cause.”
AMONGE SINXOTO, 18, Co-founder of Blackboard Africa Teen Global Leader, a platform that celebrates and uplifts the youth.
“I wanted to create a space where the youth could have frank conversations about their issues
– but the platform has evolved to building new leaders in order to rewrite history.
We are becoming the change we
want to see in the world!”
THANDO HOPA, 30, Model, Lawyer and Activist made history by being the first woman with albinism to cover Vogue (Portugal). She was also the first black South African to be featured on the 2018 Pirelli calendar. “Seeing women of colour manifest into being what our ancestors could only dream into existence is fascinating. The notion of woman is being redefined to more opportunity!”
TSHEGOFATSO PHETLHE, 25, Art Director M&C Saatchi Abel is the creative brains behind Nando’s #WriteMyName campaign which won six Loeries and a Grand Prix in 2018. “With every brief that we get, I try to prioritise the agenda of black narratives being reflected in campaigns. I want to respect the consumer enough to deliver quality work that will have a lasting impact on them.”
NOKUPHIWO JADA, 38, a Yoga Teacher who’s been teaching this artform in Khayelitsha, Cape Town for the past 12 years.
“When I started teaching yoga, my goal was to punt it as a coping mechanism. Nothing makes me prouder than teaching my community about self-care.”
DR SINDI VAN ZYL,43, Medical Doctor with a special interest in HIV medicine, and Host of Kaya Fm’s Sidebar with Sindi.
“My advice for young black women is that life doesn’t always go according to plan. Don’t give up at the first sign of failure. Stay in your lane and maintain your velocity! I’m always looking on the bright side of life – even when the going gets tough. I’m blessed to have had an extremely encouraging mom. I try and do the same in my personal and professional lives. All we need is a bit of love and hope to get by.”