In celebration of Highway’s wonderful women
To celebrate International Women’s Day the Highway Mail has paid tribute to some of the most extraordinary women we have interviewed over the years.
TODAY is International Women’s Day and to celebrate the Highway Mail is taking a trip down memory lane.
Over the years we have shared some incredibly inspirational stories of local women who have gone above and beyond to help people, and women who have challenged our patriarchal society.
To honour these wonderful women the Highway Mail has compiled a list of some of these women who have stood out for our journalists. Which one of these stories has inspired you?
Mama Hadebe
Our first wonderful woman is Ann ‘Mama’ Hadebe. The 54-year-old is one of the few female taxi drivers in the Highway area. In 2015 our reporter Sane Tsinde reported on how the Dassenhoed resident had managed to master the mainly male-dominated taxi industry.
“Mama’, as she is known in the taxi ranks, now hopes to launch her own driving school and teach women to drive taxis.
“There is no such thing as ‘men’s jobs’ any more, we do need more women in the taxi industry,” said Mama
Justine Rae
To continue the altruistic vibe the team recalled Justine Rae, who collects toys and clothes for babies and children in need. The Winston Park resident started her own charity organisation, Little One, after reading about a Nigerian boy who had been abandoned and left on the streets for eight months.
“I’ve seen so many children with so much potential but feel it’s all being wasted. That is why, as a mother and as a woman, I feel it is important that we set the foundations for our children, to encourage them to learn as much as they can, so that they can be able to lead one day,” she said.
Jennifer Wiercx
Hillcrest’s Jennifer Wiercx outreach feeding scheme for the homeless also struck a cord with the Highway Mail team. The elderly resident, last year, appealed to her fellow community members to donate their ‘unwanted, edible food’ to the homeless residents, by hanging the bags of food on their gates.
Jenny Le Roux, Hermine Goldsmith and Sue Smith
If you are looking for a ‘be-the-change-you-want-to-see’ inspiration, than look no further than the three Westville gals who decided to collect litter during their daily walks. Jenny Le Roux, Hermine Goldsmith and Sue Smith wake up every morning (Monday to Friday) to walk about 3km to pick up litter in various streets in their neighbourhood.
“Some people see us as crazy old women but others stop and thank us. We hope that people will think twice before throwing rubbish on the roads and take responsibility,” said Le Roux.
Cwengi Myeni
Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust member, Cwengi Myeni has started her own ‘granny support group’ after she saw the plight faced by the grandmothers in the Valley of 1 000 Hills due to the AIDS epidemic.
To date the 73-year-old grandmother has mobilised more than 2 000 ‘gogos’ to form support groups
The grannies, who care for their grandchildren who have been orphaned by HIV/ AIDS, are now building their own concrete homes.
“This is a way to empower them and show others that they do not have to wait for the government to give them homes,” said Cwengi.
The support groups also run their own vegetable gardens and are able to feed their families and sell the surplus to others. There are so many other women who have featured in our paper – if you wish to highlight someone in particular drop us a comment on Facebook or Twitter.
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