5 Mid Mornings

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

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.

You can love someone and still not like them!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

What is your earliest childhood memory?