Today, as the nation pauses to honour Women’s Day, I want to dedicate this piece to a very particular group of women — the formidable, resilient, and deeply strategic women who form part of the Phakama Eastern Cape Movement.
This is a movement that, true to its name, is rising. It is rising to challenge old systems, rising to confront injustice, and rising to imagine a better, more inclusive future for the Eastern Cape and beyond. Within it are women from all walks of life — leaders, nurturers, organisers, and visionaries — and while the movement is not exclusively for women, today we pause to centre them.
In a province scarred by deep poverty, these women are rewriting the script. They live in communities where unemployment often feels like an unmovable mountain, yet they plant seeds of economic hope.
From the street vendors selling their goods with pride, to the small business owners holding their ground in competitive markets, these women demonstrate that economic justice isn’t just a slogan — it’s a fight for dignity, independence, and the right to thrive.
They also stand on the frontlines of the battle against gender-based violence (GBV), a pandemic within our borders. Many have survived violence themselves; others have lost sisters, daughters, or friends to it. But none have remained silent.
They are holding leaders accountable, demanding justice in our courts, challenging harmful norms, and building safe spaces where survivors can be believed, supported, and empowered.
In the fight for healthcare access, these women know that our rural and township communities are too often left behind. They speak for the mothers walking long distances to reach clinics, the chronically ill who cannot afford regular transport to healthcare facilities, and the young girls missing school due to a lack of sanitary products.
They push for resources, for equity, and for the basic truth that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege.
As we approach the local government elections, their political voices are becoming louder, clearer, and more determined. The Phakama Eastern Cape Movement understands that where women lead, governance improves — decisions are more inclusive, communities feel heard, and resources are used more wisely.
These women are not just preparing to vote; they are preparing to stand as candidates, to step into council chambers, and to shape policy from within.
They are also guardians of democracy itself — challenging corruption, demanding transparency, and protecting the rights of ordinary people. They know democracy is not just a word; it is a daily practice of participation, vigilance, and collective responsibility.
Yet behind their leadership and activism, many of these women carry personal battles that are rarely seen. There are mothers raising children alone, without financial or emotional support, doing the work of two parents while still leading in their communities.
There are human rights defenders who continue their advocacy even after threats to their safety. There are women fighting for mental health awareness, breaking the silence around depression, trauma, and burnout in a society that often tells them to “be strong” without offering the resources to cope.
This Women’s Day, we also remember the women within the Phakama Eastern Cape Movement and the entire Eastern Cape, who have lost loved ones in the recent floods. Their grief is heavy, but even in mourning, they continue to serve, rebuild, and stand with their communities. They embody resilience in its truest form.
To the women in other provinces — may you look to the women of the Phakama Eastern Cape Movement and see what is possible when determination meets purpose. See how they organise, how they lift one another up, how they weave the struggles of everyday life into a collective vision for change.
Whether in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, or the Western Cape — know that you, too, can rise.
The women of the Phakama Eastern Cape Movement are rising like the relentless sea—strong, unstoppable, and shaping the shores of our future. They are blossoming like vibrant flowers, bringing beauty, hope, and life even in the toughest conditions.
With courage and determination, they are moving mountains, breaking barriers, and forging new paths for generations to come. These women are the heartbeat of change, and their rise signals a brighter, stronger Eastern Cape for all.
Because when women rise, communities rise. When women lead, societies transform. And when women, like those in the Phakama Eastern Cape Movement, dare to imagine a different future, they don’t just dream — they make it happen.
Happy Women's Day to Amakhosikazi of this beautiful province of the legends.
Masiphakameni Sonke, Ixesha Lifikile.
Camagu Zimbokodo!!!!
