Women’s Month in South Africa

As we enter Women’s Month in South Africa, we look back to the 9th of August where it all began. Women’s Day is a day to honour the brave and courageous women who marched in front of the Union Building in 1956, fearlessly rallying for not only gender equality, but for the basic human rights of our people. It’s a celebration of empowerment that has extended into an entire month of awareness campaigns around gender issues, aimed to address and enable the future female leaders of our country.

Tributes and Celebrations

As we commemorate Women’s Month with a series of tributes to inspirational women,  awesome giveaways and our top 5 promo items of the month (follow our Facebook and Instagram pages for more details), we also honour the story of one of our youngest directors at CK Advertising, Miss Zikhona Hanabe.

This delightfully diligent (and sometimes quirky) female leader was born in Somerset East, Eastern Cape, spending her formative years in the dusty streets of small Karoo towns and Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth. Zikhona moved to Cape Town in 2014 where she now finds herself rooted and thriving, enjoying good food, long walks and engaging conversations.

When asking Kiki (as she is affectionately referred to by her peers) about the women who inspired her own leadership journey, she had the following super women to thank for the woman she has become today.

Inspirational Women in Zikhona’s Life

A mother’s love – Pumla Hanabe:

My Momma and possibly the most sensible person I know. She embodies the strength of the women in my family from generation unto generation and I believe she has passed this strength and poise unto me.

She loves hard work and delights in the fruits of her labour. I have experienced her as a wife to my father, a mother to my siblings and I, a daughter to her parents (her parents-in-law too), a leader in our community and most recently a grandmother.

In all these different roles she has been fully present. I have learnt from her to be present in every season of my life and to trust God’s timing for my life.

The Queen of Smoke:

Stacey-Lee, also known as the ‘Queen of Smoke’, is widely recognized as one of South Africa’s first female Spinning and Stunt Drivers. Last year February I came across an advertising campaign she collaborated on with Threeships Whisky titled: Home Of The Exceptional | Introducing, the Queen of Smoke, Stacey-Lee May.

In this video she says: “I might not be what you expect, but I am exactly who I need to be.” This sentence has transfigured my self-perception and encourages me to keep showing up as I am.

My Community of Sisters:    

This community of women embodies: my three biological sisters who have cheered me on in everything for as far back as I can remember, the women I fellowship with who hold me accountable to my big talk and faith-filled aspirations, my gumptious colleagues who enable me to champion my cause with joy and grace.

In one of her social media posts Pastor Bobbie Houston of Hillsong Church says: “Women are born for connection. They flourish when they find themselves amongst other girls who love and believe in them”. My Sisterhood is this for me and encourages me to be this for other women too.

Happy National Women’s Day

Wishing all of our clients, suppliers and colleagues and very Happy National Women’s Day! May you be celebrated, cherished and loved. Always remember the strength of your power – today, tomorrow and always.