The Woman Who Touch Our Lives

Two influential women talk about how their work is shaping our lives

- Stephanie Van Der Plank

‘ I want girls to know there are no boundaries to their talents’

Lebo Ramafoko, 46, is CEO of the Soul City Institute for Social Justice, which fights for the rights of women and girls in SA. She’s single and lives in Krugersdorp with son Mpho, 14. Her daughter Tumi, 25, is married and lives in Cape Town.

“I didn’t grow up within a family where traditional male-female roles were upheld. My mom had her own career in nursing, often working night shifts, while my dad worked flexi-hours in the taxi industry. After work, my dad would fetch me from my grandmother’s house, then cook dinner and look after me. I remember sitting on his lap, reading the newspaper with him in the evenings, while my mom worked.

My dad was also my champion, encouraging me to chase my dreams – I think it was unusual at the time to have such a liberal-minded father, especially in our conservative community, but I was constantly exposed to the idea that men and women are equal. My dream, from an early age, was to teach. My aunt was the principal at my school and I wanted to be just like her – strong, formidable, and passionate about my work.