Women’s Month culminates in celebration of Phenomenal Women

Taalmonument and others honour 16 women during gala event

Building on the inaugural success of the Phenomenal Women of the Cape Winelands District Awards last year, the Afrikaanse Taalmuseum en -monument (ATM), in collaboration with the Historium Trust and the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM), once again honoured 16 phenomenal women from the community.

The award ceremony was held in Paarl on Wednesday, 23 August 2023, during which the nine winners and seven runners-up were announced and the amazing achievements of these wonderful women were celebrated.

“National Women’s Day in South Africa is highly regarded and serves as a reminder of the significant contribution of women in South Africa. At the same time, it is an opportunity to reflect anew on the rights of women,” stated Michael Jonas, director of the ATM in his opening address. “The role of women in society is crucial. They make remarkable contributions to communities, families and society as a whole. Women are the backbone of families and communities, which is why it is important for us to uplift and celebrate women in our communities on this scale. Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up.”

In her keynote address, the executive mayor, Ald Elna von Schlicht, stated, “It brings me immense joy to extend a heartfelt congratulations to our phenomenal women winners of the Cape Winelands District, as well as the outstanding runners-up. Your remarkable achievements and contributions have brightened our community, inspiring us all to do better. This accolade does not only recognise your individual successes but also highlights the collective strength of women who continue to break barriers and redefine what is possible in our communities. Your stories serve as a beacon of hope and empowerment for future generations, reminding us that there are no limits to what we can achieve. As we honour you and your accomplishments, may you continue to shine brightly and inspire those around you. Your journey is a testament to how phenomenal you are.”

Paarl East’s Veronica Botha, who won the category for the promotion of Afrikaans, is not only the mother of two children and foster mother of a baby, but writes Afrikaans poems as much as her work and other commitments allow. She is currently working on two Afrikaans radio dramas, which she hopes to enter for RSG’s 2024 competition.

The call for nominations opened in June and the public had the opportunity to nominate the unsung heroines who do inspiring work in the Cape Winelands communities. The judging process concluded in July by a panel of three women who are phenomenal in their own right: Christynn Jacobs, a qualified food technologist and the co-owner of Jacob’s Jam Company based in Ceres; Heidi Erdmann, an independent curator and art historian; and Anetta Mangxaba, the director/owner/publisher of Dizindaba Media. These judges had the difficult job of determining the winners and runners-up out of more than 60 compelling nominations.

The awards ceremony, led by TV presenter Heindrich Wyngaard from Klop! on KykNET, was attended by winners and runners-up – accompanied by a loved one, often the person who nominated them – as well as members of the partner organisations and special guests. Two motivational speakers shared their inspiring stories: Charlene Elliot, founder of Fit me Fitness and Life of Giving Charity Shop as well as a principal of an ECD and aftercare centre in Paarl, and Felicity Fransman, Phenomenal Woman in Tertiary Education for 2022 and founder of Passion Abundance Angels in Worcester.

The winners and runners-up received gifts from the CWDM, ATM, Historium Trust, Jacob’s Jam and Old Mutual. They are: