A daughter of Zebediela, standing for women who refuse to stay silent.

My name is Tebatso Aphane, a proud daughter of Zebediela in Limpopo, a citrus farming community that taught me resilience, discipline, and the value of hard work from a young age.

I am an Occupational Health and Safety Officer, an entrepreneur, and currently completing my BCom in Project Management. I work in high-risk, male-dominated environments where safety is not just policy, it is the difference between going home whole or not at all.

In these spaces, women are often expected to adapt, stay silent, or prove themselves twice over. I have experienced sexism and sexual harassment in the workplace, moments that could have silenced me, but instead strengthened my voice.

I know what it feels like to stand in a space where you are made to feel small, and I also know what it takes to rise anyway.

This is not just my personal story. It reflects a national crisis, one so urgent that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy recently issued a national guidance note addressing gender-based violence, femicide, and the safety challenges faced by women in the workplace.

That is why I founded SheWorksSafely, to create workplaces where women are not just present, but protected, heard, and respected.

Through my initiative, Hard Hats and Safety Shoes, I lead practical safety conversations and use workplace toolbox sessions to raise awareness about sexual harassment, breaking the silence around issues many women are still afraid to speak about. Supported by a strong network of female psychologists, HR practitioners, and legal professionals, I ensure that women are not only heard, but also guided, protected, and empowered.

I believe that a woman should never have to choose between her femininity and her ambition. We can lead with strength, with grace, and with certainty.

I stand for a South Africa where women do not just rise, they rise in environments strong enough to protect their power.