Winning Women

In an all-new episode of Winning Women, we speak to Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela – who you may know reportedly as South Africa’s first black female brewer. City Press

Mapula Nkosi speaks to the CEO of Takealot about her plans to accelerate the industry. City Press

In 1976, she was a teacher earning R101 a month. For her relatives and close friends, this was a job she could not afford to gamble with, let alone lose. But when Connie Chiume saw an advert in a local newspaper, calling for musicians, singers and actors to come in for auditions, she could not let the opportunity pass her by. City Press

After ditching politics, a career path she thought she would pursue until she was exposed to its realities in the first year of university, her passion and drive for youth development and technology in education took over, and today Qhakaza Mohare has both opened and been involved in spaces that play a pivotal role in young creatives’ lives. City Press

After more than 20 years in the quick service restaurant industry, the hardworking mother of two tells Palesa Dlamini that she feels her commitment is paying off City Press

Reigning Miss SA Shudufatso Musida has allowed herself to be vulnerable in order to bring the conversation about mental health to the fore. City Press

They say knowledge is power, and that is one thing that Dr Bha Ndungane-Tlakula has embraced in her 23 years in the medical industry. The 47-year-old practitioner from Clermont in Durban is the senior medical manager at drug manufacturer Pfizer and has three degrees to her name so far. She speaks to City Press about the state of the health system and what drives her. City Press

Women in South Africa are doing great things, but if they don’t support each other, they will not get the recognition they deserve, especially in male-dominated spaces. Zandile Mkhwanazi, the founder and chairperson of technology hub GirlCode, says it is very important for women to help each other. City Press

Show me an octogenarian coach who has produced a world champion and world record-holder this century ... you’ll find her in Bloemfontein! City Press

In the final episode of the Winning Women series for this year, City Press journalist Molebogeng Mokoka speaks to University of Cape Town Vice-Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng about some of the challenges she's faced since taking up the position in 2018, as well as how she's doing her best to transform the university into a space where everyone feels welcome. City Press

In this episode, City Press journalist Molebogeng Mokoka chats to former public protector Thuli Madonsela, about her advocacy for social justice, as well her suggestion that an amnesty-like process should be carried out for minor actors in corruption. City Press

Moira Tlhagale is a quantity surveyor and entrepreneur, who also happens to be Pitso Mosimane's wife. When she's not overseeing multimillion rand projects, she's busy running her two successful companies tmtj Consulting and MT Sports. In this episode, City Press sport journalist Gomolemo Motshwane caught up with Tlhagale to chat about her career and how she's creating a legacy for her goal-orienta...

Bongiwe Msomi's netball career started unexpectedly when she was asked to play as a filler at the age of 16. Today, the 32-year-old is the captain of the national netball team, as well as the coach and manager of the University of Johannesburg’s netball club. City Press journalist Molebogeng Mokoka caught up with Msomi to talk about her journey, which didn't receive much support from her family in...

Sibongile Ndashe is a human rights lawyer who was among those arrested in Tanzania in 2017 for allegedly 'promoting homosexuality' in the country. An experience that strengthened her belief that legal action is instrumental to bring about social change, Ndashe continues to advocate for the rights of women and the LGBTQIA+ community through an organisation called the Initiative for Strategic Litiga...

Fortunate Nkateko Khoza is a self-taught fashion designer who established a successful fashion brand, Lufi D, which expanded to include a boutique, salon and day spa. In her journey to the top, Khoza encountered multiple setbacks including last year's xenophobic attacks, which resulted in the looting of her shop in Maboneng, and most recently, the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown. Despite this, Khoza...

Poet, musician and radio host MoAfrika wa Mokgathi is an artist on a mission. Born and bred in Mamelodi, the 32-year-old is not only involved in teaching other rising stars the traits of the creative arts industry, she's also taken an active stance against social issues, such as gender-based violence and racism, through her poetry. She sat down with City Press journalist Molebogeng Mokoka to talk...

Concerned about the lack of attention given to women in sports, Akhona Makalima, the only female referee in the Premier Soccer League, decided to take matters into her own hands and feet. In addition to hosting a radio show called Women’s Sports Buffet to highlight the strides made by women in various sporting codes, Makalima also mentors other young women interested in pursuing refereeing as a ca...

Performance poet Emmah Mabye believes that while black female representation in different spaces is essential, it's not enough if women's voices are not amplified. With this in mind, Mabye has used her poetry to shed light on some of the biggest challenges facing the South African society including, gender-based violence, racism, patriarchy and neglect. The 34-year-old, who's also a full-time tax...

Currently in the process of capturing how healthcare workers have been dealing with the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic across provinces, public health specialist Dr Atiya Mosam seeks to find the best approach that will contribute to lower rates of infection. She's also helped start a food security initiative to assist underprivileged families access food during this time. She spoke to Molebogeng Mo...

For Dr Shaheda Omar, director of the Teddybear Foundation, working with children is the greatest opportunity of her life. This is why, in more than 20 years of working at the foundation, Omar has never taken a day off. She sat down with Molebogeng Mokoka to chat about the projects she's initiated during the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown to ensure that children's rights continue to be protected. Ci...

Siya Hlongwa is a 33-year-old transgender activist who fled her hometown of eThekwini, Durban after being abused by her uncle. After spending more than 10 years searching for a place of belonging, Hlongwa has now established a platform where she brings issues affecting marginalised communities in the spotlight She sat down with Molebogeng Mokoka to speak about how the lessons she learnt from her j...

Mpho Nefuri is a human rights lawyer and activist. At the beginning of the lockdown, she embarked on fitness challenge to bring awareness to gender-based violence and hate crime On the business side, Nefuri believes in doing "everything and anything to secure an income, as long as it's a clean deal". She sat down with Molebogeng Mokoka to chat about her mission to change lives for the better, for...

For Nomfundo Dhlamini, the journey towards realising her ancestral gift has not been easy. Despite this, Dhlamini is a now a traditional healer who is also climbing the corporate ladder in communications. She sat down with City Press journalists Molebogeng Mokoka and Palesa Dlamini to reflect on how her gift molded her to become the Winning Woman she is today. City Press

Engineer, biotech innovator and businessperson Dineo Lioma plans to use artificial intelligence in the world of medicine, which might help to prevent the spread of tuberculosis and even viruses such as Covid-19 in the future. www.news24.com · City Press