Women. Abesifazane. Abafazi. Vroue. Basali. Mosadi. Vavasati. Today, we celebrate them in every language. We celebrate those women who stood up to an oppressive system in 1956, and refused to let it keep them down. We celebrate women not just on National Women’s Day in South Africa, but every day, for what they do, what they achieve and who they are.
We celebrate all the women taking part in the Olympic Games of 2016, representing the nation and keeping the South African flag flying high. All our resilient athletes who endured exhaustion, injuries and endless training, for a chance to compete on an international level and symbolise South African talent, we salute you. To our football side, Amandla Dlamini, Roxanne Barker, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Noko Matlou,Janine van Wyk, Sanah Mollo, Leandra Smeda, Refiloe Jane, Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Robyn Moodaly, Andile Dlamini, Nothando Vilakazi, Mamello Makhabane, Stephanie Malherbe, Shiwe Nongwanya, Thembi Kgatlana, Bambanani Mbane, Linda Motlhalo and Lebogang Ramalepe. To our runners, Carina Horn, Castor Semenya, Wenda Nel, Dominique Scott, Sunette Viljoen, Justine Palframan, Lynique Prinsloo, Irvette van Zyl, Alyssa Conley, Tsholofelo Thipe, Anél Oosthuizen, Christine Kalmer and Dina Lebo Phalula. To our cyclists, Ashleigh Moolman and An-Li Pretorius Kachelhoffer. To our horse rider, Tanya Seymour. To our rowers, Lee-Ann Persse, Kirsten McCann, Ursula Grobler and Kate Christowitz. To our canoeist, Bridgitte Hartley. To our triathlon runners, Mari Rabie and Gillian Sanders.To our diver, Julia Vincent. To our golfers, Paula Reto and Ashleigh Simon. And to our marathon swimmer, Michelle Weber. We admire all our athletes for their perseverance and determination, and for being strong, intrepid role models for the whole of South Africa.
We admire the resolute Thuli Madonsela, for being the gracious, hard-working and fearless public protector of South Africa. Katlego Maboe had this to say about her:
“I have a great admiration for her dedication towards her work, justice and a better South Africa. She is unafraid to say what needs to be said and instils a belief that it is still possible; that the Rainbow Nation is still possible!”
We admire all the enterprising women who are changing the way we look at the health and business sectors and focusing on preserving our resources. We admire those that challenge the notions of society and make their own rules. For all those women who aim to educate the next generation and provide opportunities to those who are limited by the circumstances to do so. For pushing the boundaries, for never backing down and for pursuing their goals, we admire you. To all the women heading up creative and resourceful organisations to help others, like Leeko Mokoena, creator of Made with Rural, which is aimed at empowering small-scale farmers. And Naadiya Moosajee, co-founder of WomHub, an organisation aimed at encouraging more women to enter the engineering field. And Ndoni Mcunu, who founded Black Women in Science (BWIS), to inform young rural women about the discipline of science.
So on this well-deserved holiday, we asked a few South Africans who they admire, and who helped shape them to be the successes they are today.
Xolisa Dyeshana:
“The woman that most inspires me is my mother. She has been an incredible support to our entire family and an amazing companion to my father. She taught me the value of sacrifice, empathy and hard work. And just as an added bonus, she taught me style.”
Katlego Maboe:
“If it hadn’t been for Mathe [Mosito-Okaba], I would never have been on Expresso. She was the one who suggested me to the show’s producer Patience Stevens after seeing me presenting on SABC2. And that lead me to where I am now…I cannot express (no pun intended!) how incredible that is.”
“Patience [Stevens] gave me my big break: the chance to fly to Cape Town to audition for her show Expresso. Ever since then, she has believed in my potential and played an uplifting role in my life.”
“Cricket was a big thing for me at Potchefstroom Central School, and Mrs [Cecile] Kennedy and her husband believed in me, supported me, and raised funds so that I could go on tours. I also attribute my passion for language to the amazing gift she gave me for my 10th birthday: a Parker pen and a dictionary decorated with a picture of Shakespeare. And it was her words that motivated me when I left primary school: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
“Mrs [Hestor] Parsons was a mother figure to me in the years when I was at schools far from home. She took a strong interest in my academic progress, she encouraged me to be myself when I was teased for being diligent, and she really looked out for me, which meant a lot.”
Herschelle Gibbs:
"My daily source of inspiration comes from my mother Barbara... she battles on with her sugar issues everyday but it fails to get the better of her and she refuses to surrender. I've had plenty of obstacles to climb in my life but I keep soldiering on like my mother. We remain steadfast in life and stare ever challenge in the face and keep pushing forward. Life is meant to be hard not easy otherwise we will take everything for granted."
Maps Maponyane:
"One of the women that inspires me is Khanyi Dhlomo. She's travelled an incredible journey and has managed to build up something strong and powerful in business, media, fashion and publishing. She's graceful, tenacious, intelligent (Harvard Alumni) and has already creating a lasting legacy despite her relative youth. She's extraordinarily inspirational and goes about achieving her excellence quietly."
Here at Nic Harry we stand together with every mother, daughter and sister. We stand together with each and every women.
