As part of the annual Women’s Month programme, the Honourable Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) honours women across Gauteng who have made meaningful contributions towards empowering others in society.
Each year in August, the GPL’s Multi-Party Women’s Caucus leads the Annual Vita Basadi Awards – an initiative that recognises excellence among women in various fields of work, as well as acts of service to those in need.
Through these awards, the Speaker celebrates women of courage who continue to make a positive impact in their communities.
Celebrate the winners of the Vita Basadi Awards…
5th Vita Basadi Awards Winners
YOUTH PHILANTHROPIST
Lungako Magida
Lungako Magida is an education philanthropist. She is the founder of the Lungako Magida Foundation, which coordinates a national education pageant, Ms. Tertiary SA, for females between the ages of 18 and 35. The pageant aims to bridge the financial struggles of students and distribute scholarships to the winners. Lungako has contributed to youth employment from the age of 22 and has also launched a lifestyle magazine called Journey, which is sold at CAN, Checkers, and Engen garages nationally.
Katleho Paballo Makupu
Paballo is a true inspiration in the STEM field, passionate about microinsurance. She received a distinction for her degree, Paballo got a distinction in B Sc Actuarial Science, and mentors and provides financial support to black females at the school level as well as at the university. Katleho supports various charities such as Epworth Children’s Home, Fountain of Love, Choc House, and Boithuto Community Project, and mentors black students at the University of the Free State, University of Pretoria, and Cape Town University.
As the Head of the Association for Black Actuarial Professional school and outreach programmes, she visits at least 10 schools a year to give motivational talks, adopts a buddy to mentor, donates stationery, plants trees, and conducts city clean-ups.
OUTSTANDING CREATIVE
Lebogang Monyatsi
Lebohang is the founder of Miss Wheelchair South Africa. She studied a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology at the North West University and is currently studying a Bachelor’s in Communication Science with UNISA. She is an advocate for disability inclusion and accessible features for all.
Lebohang has proven that hard work makes everything possible by being Africa’s first runway model in a wheelchair, where she was crowned the 1st Princes of the first-ever Miss Wheelchair World 2017 held in Poland. She was also a Finalist for Face of the Globe 2017 and was the only Finalist with a disability. Lebogang won the South African Youth Awards in the category ‘Extraordinary Champions’. She has represented South Africa in the field of Wheelchair Basketball in the following countries: 2015: Algeria, Paralympics Qualifiers, 2012: Mexico, Paralympics Qualifiers, 2009: Quatamal, in South America, World Cup Qualifiers, 2008: Namibia, international friendly games.
Nomsa Manaka
Nomsa Manaka is an award-winning dancer and choreographer from Soweto. She’s been in the industry for over three decades, has received a scholarship to study classical ballet in the US, and has performed on international stages. Nomsa has received numerous awards for her excellence. She was named Top 20 of amazing women of South Africa by Ebony magazine and the Johnny Walker award for best choreographer to ever come out of South Africa. Nomsa was touched by the constant sight of young people roaming around the streets of Kliptown, Soweto, to curb teenage-related problems such as teenage pregnancy, alcohol, and substance abuse through artistic skills and education. Nomsa is a cancer survivor, and this led to her coining a dance production, ‘Dancing out of Cancer’, with the late Hugh Masekela to raise funds and awareness for the illness.
UNSUNG LEGEND
Maria and John Diamond
Diamond Athletics Club is a community-based athletics club situated in Germiston. It was founded by Maria and John Diamond in 2010, who have a passion for athletics and are parents to 3-times National Hurdle Champion, Tamar Diamond. The Athletics club has coached two athletes who have gone on to represent the country at the World Youth Championships and the World Student Games respectively, and assisted in finding scholarships for eight athletes, and three of those are internationally.
Diamond Athletics is one of the Development Clubs in Ekurhuleni with the focus on Sprints, Hurdles, and long jump, biased to girls and women. Their vision is “To unearth raw talent, polish and present these diamonds to the world.”
Matodzi Irene Mawela
The 79-year-old Irene Mawela has been an active recording artist since the age of 17. Her vital contribution to the South African music industry is truly unappreciated. Over six decades, she has recorded and composed for such legendary artists as the Dark City Sisters, Dorothy Masuka, the Mahotella Queens, Mpharanyana, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ray Phiri and Stimela, Patience Africa, and so many more. Her well-known recordings were covered by several contemporary artists, including Deborah Fraser, Brenda Fassie, and Puleng. Irene was the very first artist to record Venda-language mbaqanga music in 1965.
Irene raised the flag for Tshivenda music single-handedly. She has won the coveted Radio Venda ‘Nambi ya Dzinambi’ award for three years running – 1982, 1983, and 1984; a Lifetime Achievement Award at the first annual Tshima Awards in 2012; and her greatest achievement – the first black African woman to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the music department of the University of Pretoria. Irene has contributed to almost 1,000 recordings made in South Africa since the late 1950s. Her hits over the years include timeless classics like ‘Mme Anga Khotsi Anga’, ‘Nditsheni Ndi Digede’, ‘Sukumani Bafana’, ‘Hao Nkarabe’, ‘Re Basadi Kaofela’, ‘Sidl’imali Zethu’, ‘Mapungubwe’, and many more. During apartheid, Irene’s music helped to lift Africans out of their despair, even if only momentarily.
YOUNG DIGNITARY
Lethabo Monametsi
Lethabo maintained the position of being a top achiever at c her current and the previous school that she attended. At the age of 12 she was already a head prefect; she possesses the ability to lead a school of leaders and talented people. Gifted in dance and academics, she remains a perfect trendsetter for young girls who are looking up to her. Currently, she has been voted for 3 consecutive terms as head prefect at the Tebogo Kgobokoe Arts Academy. She holds the following titles in her dance career:
2016/2017 Bronze, Silver, Gold Ballroom
2016/2017 Bronze, Silver, and Gold Latin American
2017 Junior 1 runner-up Latin American
2018 Youth Latin America Champion
2018 SA Junior (12-15years) Freestyle Champion
2018 Junior Slow Dance Champion
2018 Junior Contemporary Champion
2018 Finalists of Youth Ballroom
Tsholofelo Phakathi
Tsholofelo Phakathi is an 18-year-old who is currently in Grade 12. She is a Leader, Activist, Poet, Model, and Radio Presenter. She was currently working with Thejane Production on a movie called ‘Isilingo’ in which she has a leading role. In 2015, she won the Shoprite competition, where she had to design a poster or write a poem. The prize was cash, school fees, and a stationery voucher, and she won R10 0000 for her school as well. She graduated from the Spirit of Youth Programme that she was chosen to attend last year at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria. Her poems have been published on A’uzweke Magazine, and she won numerous competitions such as Easy Waves, Darling hairstyle for my Darling Alter Ego, and MISS Kagiso (Philanthropist, Entrepreneur & Public Choice). She is a mentor at the Girl I Need You Foundation (GINU), she is a brand ambassador for the Thuli Madonsela Foundation (THUMA), and Tsholofelo is a church leader at the Calvary Church of God, amongst many other achievements
COMMUNITY BUILDER OF THE YEAR
Kgomotso Nyalunga
Kgomotso Nyalunga is from Soshanguve. She is the founder of Kgomotso Children Centre (KCC), which provides children with their basic needs, offers a wide variety of programmes, and gives them an opportunity to learn, play, and laugh in an environment of safety.
Kgomotso and her team have been providing nutrition, education, psychosocial wellbeing, arts and culture, skills development, personal development, and a haven to kids from underprivileged families, abusive homes, and child-headed households. She is passionate about her work and finds fulfilment in what she does. She encourages others to do as she does. She is a finalist for Miss Africa 2020
She founded the Kgomotso Nyalunga Children Centre (KCC) in 2007, officially registering it in 2011. She cares for over 300 children in and around Block NN, Soshanguve. The centre supports children from underprivileged families, abusive homes, and child-headed households. Kgomotso and her team provide nutrition, education, psychosocial support, arts and culture, skills development, personal growth, and a safe space, among other services. Having been raped at an early age, she committed herself to protecting future generations. In 2015, she was named Community Builder of the Year. She serves on an international disaster relief board as well as other organizations focused on women’s and child abuse activism. Her reputation precedes her – humble yet well-deserved. She is also the founder and director of the Tshwane Ladies Forum, which addresses women’s issues such as rape, programs, and psychological support for victims facing various challenges across all races.
COMMUNITY HEROINE
Bathabile Moreki
Bathabile started her first franchise business at the age of 29 through the funding acquired on her own from the National Empowerment Fund. Bathabile has, for the past four years, been mentoring over 800 businesses, mainly youth, and providing them support in their journey. She hosts monthly workshops and trainings. Daily, she mentors many through different mediums, i.e., online, telephonically, and one-on-one coaching sessions at no fee payable by disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Bathabile has assisted youth-owned businesses to secure funding and has hosted ten businesses at Proudly SA Expo 2019 for market access. Bathabile was appointed and selected as one of 100 Women of Fortitude for Ma Sisulu centenary in 2018, NDP Youth Ambassador 2017, and she holds the position as Deputy Chairperson of Olieven Business Forum and University of Johannesburg Research Associate.
Bathabile Moreki
Bathabile Moreki is an ambassador for the National Development Plan. She was one of the three hosts of the Business Day TV programme called The Big Small Business Show, where she advises entrepreneurs on a national scale. She owns 4 stores with an annual turnover exceeding R12 million, employing 52 personnel. She mentors over 33 business owners who employ at least 3 people.
She hosts a number of workshops for township entrepreneurs, aspiring ones, and also unemployed and TVET students for over 7 years, ranging from workshops, informative meetings, and sharing knowledge on media platforms, including national and regional platforms, and social media, where she has a following of over 20 000 people.
Nonhlanhla Mazaleni
Nonhlanhla Mazaleni worked at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Perinatal HIV Research Unit. She started an NPO called Tholulwazi Phakathi, which focuses on children and youth affected and infected with HIV. She has created a safe space where they can write stories about their HIV experience and receive peer-to-peer counselling. She funded holiday programmes from her own pocket, which also extended to the extended families
WOMAN OF NONOUR
Stacey Lee May
Stacey Lee May from Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg, has been drifting, or rather spinning, since the age of 16 years. Stacey started with an old 1981 BMW, which her father assisted in reconditioning. This sport has always been a male dominated and branded as a gangster sport, a perception that Stacey has always challenged. Stacey has been invited to for an interview on Carte Blanche by host Derrick Watts. Charlize Theron has invited Stacey to compete in New York USA. Stacey Lee May participates in many community programmes and is particularly known for her campaign against drug abuse and alcoholism in the community of Eldorado Park.
Julia Sheila Sekhitla
MS Sheila Sekhitla is the Director of The View Guest House a four star graded establishment, which is a four star graded multi Award winning establishment situated in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni. She is involved in a number of companies and government entities(departments and agencies)at the directorship level, and these include organizations in travel and tourism, construction, and civil engineering. She won the 2009/2010 Business Woman of the Year, which was awarded to her by the South African Council of Business Women, the ETEYA award, Engen Star of Afrikatourism award, Passing the Torch Award in Tourism Development from Gauteng Department of Finance, Ekurhuleni Business Initiatives Achievers award, the Eskom Development Foundation award for sustainable Development, 2016 Certificate of Recognition in Woman Entrepreneur of the year and National Lilizela Minister’s Award 2017. Julia Shiela Sekhitla’s many achievements would take the whole night and could fill a book.
GUARDIAN AWARD
Lerato Mngomezulu
Sgt. Lerato is very passionate about her job. Other than running after criminals, she is leading the local action drug campaign (LDAC); Intomb’ezibhekile – a programme for girls in Primary Schools which talks to their grooming, behavior, safety and security; Lets Make Tsakane Better – a programme that involves boys and girls in High Schools which addresses substance abuse, bullying, gansterism and supplies girls with sanitary towels. She partnered with many stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse. Her role is to gather the drug users on monthly basis and invite stakeholders who will encourage them to stop taking drugs. Her programs have yielded good results in that some and many users have undergone a SANCA daily programme.Lerato, goes her way out to seek learnerships for clean addicts and also o encourages a healthy living lifestyle for drug users by hosting soccer tournaments for them, where they play against each other.
Candy Portia Mabala
Candy Portia Mabala is a member of the South African Police Service. She has assisted many young people and families at the Randfontein Victim Empowerment Centre. Her hard work and dedication ensured that MEC Sizakhele Nkosi-Malobane won the station the awards for the most improved and the most Community Collaboration.
Carol Madumo
Carol Madumo is an exceptional woman and role model. If you ask most people in the Wattville/Actonville Community, they will tell you about her. I speak as a daughter who she is mentoring in business and life in general, and one of her students in her cooking school. She has touched so many lives in so many ways. But I also speak from the perspective of someone from the community who has borne witness to her generosity and passion for mentorship and uplifting the youth. She has mentored many through her initiatives, which pass on cooking and catering skills to the young and unemployed, educating and providing them with employment opportunities despite being unqualified.
She has been involved in reaching out to drug addicts (mostly homeless), providing them with food, and connecting them to rehab opportunities. She buys groceries for grannies in Wattville every month when possible, out of her own pocket. She has, over the years, involved herself in uplifting the youth and community through various projects, praying for the sick and hopeless, and blessing others financially in times of trouble/desperation. All this out of free will and charity. These are only a few things that she has done. She is an established entrepreneur and businesswoman, with a recently opened cooking school (CMP Cooking School). She continues to inspire many as an honourable, hardworking, and charismatic woman. And as a young woman and an Entrepreneur, I would choose no better person to be my role model than Carol Madumo. A woman of character and
