Three years ago, when my father passed away, his death gave birth to a new me. Out of that deep pain, I discovered my spiritual gift — one so powerful that I carry it with pride. I know I never walk alone.
My God is with me. My ancestors are with me. They fight for me, and sometimes I leave certain battles entirely in their hands. Even with this new storm that’s rising, I have already handed it over to them. I told them: “Take this battle, fight it for me.” And I know they will.
Tonight’s call was the clearest affirmation yet — everything will be okay. Whatever campaign is unfolding out there, I will win, because when I am given the opportunity to speak for myself, I always speak truth to power. And when I do, masks fall. People are revealed for who and what they are.
This has been the story of my life — in my village, in the townships, in civil society, and in politics. Every time there was a campaign against me, it ended the same way: not well for the ones who started it.
My God and my ancestors don’t take it lightly when people try to destroy me, because I do not go out of my way to destroy others. I am a free soul with no hidden agendas. I love singing, I love making friends, I talk to strangers who eventually become family. I prefer minding my own business, yet somehow people seem to obsess over me.
One day, a powerful political figure said to me: “ I have been wanting to meet you, I have heard so many things about you and I thought to myself I have to meet this young lady who's got the entire leadership shaking. You must be one powerful lady, to have people in such high positions make so much effort to de-campaign you.” And I laughed and said: “Well, then I must be that threatening.” He was right. In my previous political home, so many powerful figures came for me.
Half the time, I didn’t even know why. But politics taught me one crucial lesson: always keep evidence. And I did. When they came for me, I met them halfway with truth. Today, many of those who tried to destroy me sit in the dungeons of their own making, and I watch with pride. I want to ask them: “What did you think was going to happen? Look at you now. How does it feel?
How does it feel? That question is not just for those who plotted against me in politics — it is for everyone, wherever they sit. Because I know sometimes I sit among people I call friends, comrades, even family, people I believe love me. Yet I also know better than to sit comfortably in those spaces, because even there, a campaign can begin.
My spiritual leader once told me that people like me will always be plotted against, even when I have done nothing wrong. My spirit, my light, my brilliance—it irritates certain people. They look at me and they see my beauty, my shining light, my God-made image, and my ancestor-protected spirit. They see that I am covered by good spirits, and instead of respecting it, they want to destroy it.
During the political campaigns leading to the national elections, I was deeply hurt when I heard whispers that there was a campaign to ensure that I must not be allowed to attend a conference, because if I did, whatever position I contested for—I was going to win. Why? Because I had genuine support from all provinces. Not because I bribed anyone, but because I am a people’s person. That is my gift: to connect with people.
I connect across cultures, languages, and borders. When I was in Madagascar, for instance, I connected with a taxi driver who spoke only Malagasy, while I spoke English. Still, we understood each other. Even my colleagues remarked that I was the right person to sit at the front, because somehow, even in two different tongues, we found a way to connect.
That is who I am, and no one will ever take that gift away from me. So let those who want to plot and campaign against me continue—I wish them well. But the truth is, their obsession with me only reveals that they have nothing else to do but try, in vain, to dim the light that God Himself has placed upon me.
I know who I am, and I know what comes with it. So to the campaigners, let me say this: make sure that your campaign is as strong as anything you have ever done in your life. Because if you look back — whether in politics, in civil society, or in my own village — every campaign that has been crafted against me has ended the same way: with truth exposing lies, and with me standing stronger than before.
Right now, in my village, there is yet another campaign. I was in court recently, standing tall and defending myself. And the magistrate turned to the perpetrators and asked them, “What evidence do you have?” They had nothing. Nothing but empty claims and manufactured lies. Meanwhile, I stood there with a whole file of evidence — evidence that proves they are the ones defaming me, harrassing me and stalking me on social media platforms.
Let me make tell you this funny story. Recently two girls from my village went as far as creating fake voice notes, trying to put words in my mouth. I reported the matter to the local Induna because I follow the traditional processes of my village. A community meeting was called and in that village meeting, I confronted them directly: After dealing with their lies, I asked them “Was this the best you could come up with?”
The community who attended walked away that day saying, “Wow.” Yoh! Yoh! Yoh!! After hearing my side of the story, abahlali with their intelligent minds could see right through them and they knew I had destroyed those lies with nothing but truth.
Right now I am taking them to court, I am suing them, because I have learned that this is my life: I must always be ready to protect myself.
People are envious, people are jealous, people want to dim my light. But let it be known: I am always ready to defend myself, and I will always bring the sharpest weapons to any war people invite me to. I don’t start these wars — but I always finish them.
So let me send this message clearly: to my political opponents, do your worst. To those in civil society who want to tarnish my name, give it everything you’ve got.
To those hiding behind fake Facebook accounts, pretending to be me, know that I see you. To the girls in the village making voice notes, to the whisperers and plotters who sit in corners, know that I am ready for you.
I am out here minding my own business, living freely, and still, people somewhere are plotting against me. But like I told my mother just this afternoon, I will protect myself because nobody else can do that for me, except me. One by one, you will be exposed.
I will use the law, I will use truth, and I will use the fire of my ancestors and my God. Because if there is anything life has taught me as a chosen one, it is this: I must always be ready.
Even when I have done nothing, I must always be ready to defend my name.
