YB5 with Implilo Collections Foundation

This 16 Days of Activism, Impilo Collection Foundation's founder, Angela Yeung brings a conversation about period poverty to the airwaves. We learn about the organisation's EmpowerHer initiative and the symbolic display of bras at Constitution Hill.

5MM UNPOPPYWOPPY - CONFIDENCE EQUALS HAPPINESS?

The key to happiness is confidence.

QOTD - POPULAR QUALITIES

What are some of the qualities that make someone popular?

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - MERLIZE JOGIAT

In the 10th episode of 16 Days, 16 Voices we hear from Merlize Jogiat. She is a survivor of gender based violence and now works as the Advocacy and Operations Coordinator for Woman For Change. Her story began in a home where her father used violence and fear as discipline, shaping her earliest understanding of love and authority. As an adult she entered a marriage where the cycle continued. She and her son were abused emotionally, physically and financially. Today Merlize uses her voice and her work to fight for women whose stories mirror her own, and to demand accountability in a country where far too many survivors are silenced.

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - ANONYMOUS

In the 9th episode of 16 Days, 16 Voices we hear from a survivor who can't share her name because the violence she lived through still threatens her safety. She was on set to film a gospel music video when a group of men armed with guns and knives stormed in. They dragged her and her friends into the bushes and gang raped them repeatedly, she was four months pregnant at the time. She did everything a survivor is told to do; opened a case, trusted the system, yet not a single arrest was made. Police didn't narrow down suspects, or protect her. Instead her identity was leaked to the media, and she had to hide for her own safety to give birth to her child in a safe house. Her story mirrors the reality of countless women in South Africa, women who are forced to rely on the kindness of strangers and organisations like Women for Change because the justice system has left them to fend for themselves.

YB5 with South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH)

3 December is International Day of Persons with Disabilities and Michel'le Donnelly joins us for a conversation about inclusivity and how communities can observe this day. She also tells us about the efforts of the organisation to fight for the rights of persons with disabilities and how we can look after our mental health as we approach the new year.

QOTD - TRUE SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCES

What are the things you need to experience to be a true South African?

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - BULELWA ADONIS

In the 8th edition of 16 Days, 16 Voices we hear from Bulelwa Adonis. She is a psychology student and former Woman for Change spokesperson who has used her own experience to fuel her activism. Bulelwa has been a driving force in calls to recognise GBV as a national emergency, lending her voice to push for real change.

5MM UNPOPPYWOPPY - LOVE YOU BUT I DON'T LIKE YOU

You can love someone and still not like them!

QOTD - DOWNLOADABLE SKILL

⁠If you could instantly become an expert in any field, which one would you choose and why?

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - LEYONIE MARAIS

In the 7th episode of 16 Days, 16 Voices we hear from Leyonie Marais, the author of the book "Dethrone the Rapist". Her experiences with gender‑based violence (GBV) started at the age of 5. Having been assaulted six times by six different men, she turned her terrifying ordeal into fuel for healing and advocacy. Rather than disappear into silence, Leyonie reclaimed her story, not just for herself but for others who’ve suffered in similar shadows. She wrote her book to give survivors a voice, to challenge stigma and shame, and to remind people that survival is possible even in the darkest circumstances.

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - ALLISON IRIS

In the fifth episode of 16 Days, 16 Voices we hear from Allison Iris, who is a survivor and musician. Allison explains how a family member sexually assaulted her, and how that changed her perception of how men show woman love. At the age of 13, Allison shared her story with a series of other young girls, all of whom had horrific stories to tell. A group of 13 year old girls needed to comfort her, something a group of young girls should have never had to do.

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - NONHLANHLA

In the sixth episode of 16 Days, 16 Voices We hear from Nonhlanhla, a medical student from Wits who is a poet and activist that focuses on the way woman are treated in south Africa. In this clip we hear her poem “How Dare You?”. A powerful piece of audio, where she explores how woman in South Africa are constantly punished for just existing, how GBV is constant and how men is South Africa do not acknowledge their role.

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - NIKITA RUTHVEN

In the 4th episode of "16 Days, 16 Voices" we hear from Nikita Ruthven, a GBV survivor and speaker.  Nikita opens up about staying with her ex even as the relationship turned violent, holding on to the hope that he would change. Instead, things worsened, and one night on the drive home he put her safety at risk and attacked her. It became the moment she realised how dangerous the situation had become. Over the course of a weekend, Nikita found herself trapped in a situation that turned terrifying. Her abuse escalated into physical and sexual violence, and control, leaving her fearing for her life. This is her account of how quickly things can spiral, and why getting out is never as simple as people think.

5MM UNPOPPYWOPPY - I LOVE YOU

The words “love you” and “I love you” do not mean the same thing!

QOTD - CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

What is your earliest childhood memory?

YB5 with HTIN

Helping Those In Need (HTIN)Based in East London, Helping those In Need's Marion Peake explains how the organisation has been inundated with requests from across the country, but can only prioritise and accomodate the needs of East London residents. The organisation shares their goal to open a new drop-in centre and Marion explains how the Child Protection Register needs to be adapted and implemented better to more effectively protect the children of the nation.

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - UMLOBIKAZI

In the 3rd episode of "16 Days, 16 Voices" we hear from Kazi, a poet and activist. Her work captures the realities of being a woman in South Africa with unflinching honesty. Her piece is structured around the alphabet, each letter unfolding a new truth, a new challenge, or a new fear that women face every day. It’s a poem that is as creative as it is urgent, using language to hold a mirror up to society and demand that we listen, remember, and act.  

5 MID MORNINGS - 16 DAYS, 16 VOICES - MELISSA SHAWE

In the 2nd episode of "16 Days, 16 Voices" we hear from Melissa Shawe, who shares the reality of growing up in a home marked by violence at the hands of her stepfather. She speaks about years of sexual assault and ongoing physical abuse, and the fear that became part of everyday life. Melissa describes how she would sometimes barricade her younger sisters in a room with her to keep them safe, the time her step father attempted to burn them all alive, or his violent tirades where he beat her with a sjambok. Melissa’s voice is a powerful reminder of the resilience of survivors and of how many families in South Africa are living through similar situations right now. "16 Days, 16 Voices" is our space to stop, listen, and confront the reality of living as a woman in South Africa. Every story in this campaign comes from someone who has survived a country where fear is routine and violence is close to home. These voices remind us that GBV is not a headline or a statistic, it is a lived experience that shapes families, futures, and entire communities. By giving women and girls the room to speak in their own words, we honour their truth and make sure the urgency of this crisis is felt in a way that cannot be ignored.

5MM UNPOPPYWOPPY - UNTIDY AND LIVING