Girls, Ladies, Women, Mothers.

By Bongiwe Tutu




Caption: A collage with my Mother(left and bottom centre with my brother) and Noeleen (right)

Women have always been inspirational leaders in my life, leaders and groundbreakers who aspired for greatness. Strong and determined women who always attain on doing more than what is expected of them, making history, making a difference and assisting in establishing a better tomorrow. That is the kind of woman I look up to. That is the kind of woman my mother is, that is the kind of woman she has groomed me to become.

That is how I’ve grown to look up to leading women in my future profession, where I’ve seen women such as Noeleen Maholwana Sangqu who are expanding and sustaining the role of women in the country, extending the premise of women empowerment in the world at large. I hold these women close to my heart because they are very driven and push me to attain my goal of being a TV journalist in the near future. Noeleen is a South African woman in Media, Entertainment, Art, born in Umtata in the Eastern Cape, on the 14th August 1967. My mother, Thembela Tutu was also born on the same year, on women’s month, on the 10th day of August 1967. This is the day after South Africa’s celebrations of as National Women’s Day, a day in which great women in our history and our future are acknowledged for their contribution to society.



Noeleen has been the Presenter for 3 Talk in Johannesburg since 2003, she has been the News Reader for Radio Transkei since 1988, this phenomenal woman is also the chair for Tomorrow Trust. She has been amongst other forms of media such as the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) as a presenter in the year 2004, a Talk Show Host for Talk Radio 702 for a year from the year 2002. Above all this, Noeleen has received awards for the Best Global Radio Programme by the Global Population Institute in Cuba, the Chrystal Award from the People Magazine in Johannesburg, the Duku Duku Award by the SABC in Johannesburg, the Mzansi Star TV Presenter by the Mzansi Awards also in Johannesburg. Noeleen, the queen of Talk TV, “SA Oprah Winfrey”, professional speaker, loving, fun, energetic MC, is also a wife and a mother of two daughters and a son. She holds very strong values and inspires me further in my future platforms.


My mother is above all the strongest creature this earth has offered me and I am more than thankful as I’m truly blessed to have her in my life. Her drive is beyond what one can ever imagine. She is ever so hopeful and faithful. I hold her close to my heart, together with her wisdom and courage, her strength and values. She is always assisting me in accomplishing my goals and she is the ultimate hero, by my side every step of the way. I worship her very being and everything I do, I do it with her in my mind.