5 Mid Mornings

In the fifth episode of 16 Days, 16 Voices we hear from Allison Iris, who is a survivor and musician. Allison explains how a family member sexually assaulted her, and how that changed her perception of how men show woman love. At the age of 13, Allison shared her story with a series of other young girls, all of whom had horrific stories to tell. A group of 13 year old girls needed to comfort her,...

In the sixth episode of 16 Days, 16 Voices We hear from Nonhlanhla, a medical student from Wits who is a poet and activist that focuses on the way woman are treated in south Africa. In this clip we hear her poem “How Dare You?”. A powerful piece of audio, where she explores how woman in South Africa are constantly punished for just existing, how GBV is constant and how men is South Afr...

In the 4th episode of "16 Days, 16 Voices" we hear from Nikita Ruthven, a GBV survivor and speaker.  Nikita opens up about staying with her ex even as the relationship turned violent, holding on to the hope that he would change. Instead, things worsened, and one night on the drive home he put her safety at risk and attacked her. It became the moment she realised how dangerous the situation ha...

The words “love you” and “I love you” do not mean the same thing!

What is your earliest childhood memory?

Helping Those In Need (HTIN)Based in East London, Helping those In Need's Marion Peake explains how the organisation has been inundated with requests from across the country, but can only prioritise and accomodate the needs of East London residents. The organisation shares their goal to open a new drop-in centre and Marion explains how the Child Protection Register needs to be adapted and imp...

In the 3rd episode of "16 Days, 16 Voices" we hear from Kazi, a poet and activist. Her work captures the realities of being a woman in South Africa with unflinching honesty. Her piece is structured around the alphabet, each letter unfolding a new truth, a new challenge, or a new fear that women face every day. It’s a poem that is as creative as it is urgent, using language to hold a mirror u...

In the 2nd episode of "16 Days, 16 Voices" we hear from Melissa Shawe, who shares the reality of growing up in a home marked by violence at the hands of her stepfather. She speaks about years of sexual assault and ongoing physical abuse, and the fear that became part of everyday life. Melissa describes how she would sometimes barricade her younger sisters in a room with her to keep them safe, the...

Managing Director at The Living Link, Gregory Sirmongpong, brings us into the organisation's world. We unpack the efforts of the organisation to upskill and assist with employment experience for the intellectually challenged and we learn about the dignifying significance of independent living for learning disabled adults.

Do you have buyer's remorse? Have you ever bought/spent money on something that you regretted?

In the first episode of "16 Days, 16 Voices" we hear from poet and activist Nomonde Sky, a content creator and writer whose work is rooted in truth telling and survival. Her poem, "I'd like to apologise", is an unflinching piece that reflects the daily reality of being a woman in South Africa. It calls out the ways women are expected to shrink themselves, smooth things over, and carry harm quietly...

Not everyone deserves a platform, even in the age of the internet.

What order do you do things in, in the morning?

What’s a “very you” thing that your friends always tease you about?

We are joined by Namritha Sivsanker to hear about the organisation's work during 16 Days of Activism and how the nation's efforts should persist beyond this period. Namritha speaks on how South Africans can raise awareness about GBV and how it affects the hope of the country.

The people who say “I don’t care what anyone thinks” usually care the most.

Is there a chore that you put off until it’s a crisis?

Do you think that you've changed over the past 5 years?

As we mark Men's Health Awareness Month, we are joined by Dr Randall Ortel, founder of DROF for a conversation about "knowing your numbers". We also learn about the DROF Men's Club and how the foundation is working towards supporting ECDs in Manenberg on the Cape Flats.

You only need to wash your sheets once a year!

Where did you/have you met your partners?

Women for Change (WFC) is one of South Africa’s leading voices in the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. Steph and Yonaka talk to the Advocacy & Operations coordinator Merlize Jogiat about the upcoming nationwide shutdown.    

What are your classic things that you overthink about?

Stephanie Be, Yonaka Theledi and producer Mike went through to the Golden City Shooting Range to have Sasha-Lee Du Plessis’s South Africa’s top markswoman to teach us what IPSC shooting is. Clip 1 – 1. CA – Shooting Intro and Interview 1 In this clip Stephanie Asks Sasha about IPSC shooting and they chat about how long Sasha has been doing this sport for (11 years) which is...