Cape Town's Extraordinary Women Announced

She received her award and prizes from Executive Mayor, Nomaindia Mfeketo at an awards gala event at the Walled City, Ratanga Junction which was attended by more than 700 guests. Winners in seven categories received prizes to huge applause from supporters in the audience.

Thembeka runs a soup kitchen from her home for HIV and TB sufferers so that they can take their medication. She offers counselling to patients with the assistance of a priest and hands out weekly food parcels. She also does home visits to HIV and TB patients to encourage them.

The main prize for the overall winner is a R10 000 donation in kind to the benefit of a community project of her choice, sponsored by the City of Cape Town.

Mayor Mfeketo praised the City's remarkable women "who have proved that it is possible to rise above adversity and do extraordinary things".

Fourteen candidates were nominated by readers and listeners of Cape Town's community newspapers and radio stations in seven categories in a phone-in competition. A panel of judges then made the selection for the category winners and the overall winner.

The category winner for arts and culture was Evelyn Koopman from Belhar. She teaches severely disabled young people in wheelchairs creative skills such as painting. Their work is sold, creating an income for the group.

In the sports and recreation category Gladys Bullock from Strandfontein won. She teaches people in wheelchairs and paraplegics to dance. In March this year some of her students reached the semi-finals at the Wheelchair Dancing World Championships in Holland, a first for South Africans.

In the business and entrepreneurship category Nozolo Lumbe from Philippi East won. She runs a self-help skills and business skills project for unemployed people. Her work has created meaningful jobs and income for many people who live in the area.

In the education category Venecia Smith from Parow was the winner. She funded her education by being a domestic worker, factory worker and taxi driver. As a lecturer, she teaches students to study in English, as well as computer literacy and financial well-being.

In the tourism category Rosy Mahlale from Khayeltisha, the winner, started an orphanage without funding. A soup kitchen, wood workshop, crèche and a bed and breakfast followed. Her B&B in Khayelitsha has had visitors such as Elton John and Beyonce Knowles. She employs 43 women, mostly from Khayelitsha and surrounding areas.

The environment category winner, Christina Kaba from Khayelitsha, trains the community in vegetable production. She assisted with planting more than 25000 trees in the Cape Flats townships and the conversion of the first five model green schools. She led a community initiative to help establish the first community managed indigenous park in Khayelitsha, the Manyanani Peace Park and played a leading role in the formation of VUFA, a micro-farmers movement, led by women growers from the Cape Flats.

Issued by:
Directorate: Communication and Marketing
City Of Cape Town
Email: media@capetown.gov.za
Tel: 021 400 2201
Fax: 021 957 0023