Wilma "Mamma van Lanquedoc" Josefs

Wilma Josefs was born in Simondium, a small town south of Paarl, and thereafter she moved to Excelsior, which is a part of Rhodes food group’s farms near Pniel in Stellenbosch, and about twenty years ago she moved to Lanquedoc. In 1901, Cecil John Rhodes built the “village” of Lanquedoc for his “Boschendal farm workers” Lanquedoc is situated between Boschendal estate and the missionary town Pniel (thehertiageportal, 2023). Wilma is the youngest of eight children, raised by a single father, and was merely eleven years old when her mum passed. She is “dankbaar” that her older sister took on the role of a mother figure for her during that period. Wilma matriculated in 1994 from Kylemore Hoërskool. Wilma is a full-time writer who has published independently. She is a model as well as a modelling coach and a choreographer of her own dance group. Wilma is a mum of three, a grandma of three, and three years ago, Wilma became a widow, but she describes herself as a “trotse enkelma.”   

My mum and Wilma joined Die Pniel Skryfskool around the same time. I have had the honour of seeing Wilma perform her poetry live, our interactions have never stretched further than a “huganit” nie. However, I have kept up with her career. Whenever Wilma would send a message in die skryfskool’s WhatsApp group chat, stating the time and station of her radio interview (s), my mum and I would always tune in or a snippet of a newspaper interview she had done. This specific radio interview was conducted in December of 2024 at a local radio station, Radio KC, based in Paarl. I vividly remember not being able to tune in due to prior engagements, but I fondly remember Wilma’s interview with Radio KC back in 2023. What stood out to me about that specific interview was the manner in which she spoke about her community, but more so, how she creates and stays in community. Her message that day was empowering, filled with pride, yet she did not shy away from raising concerns and the need for better resources. In 2022, Wilma released her digbundel, Hoop. Her late husband’s death earlier that year served as a major inspiration in her writing journey, and the digbundel is dedicated to him. Later, we delve into a more in-depth discussion about community and Wilma’s writing journey. 

Wilma is a community worker stationed in Lanquedoc, but often reaches out to neighbouring communities like Pniel and Kylemore. Wilma speaks on the various challenges she and her community face, and two of the biggest challenges are resources and money. Wilma states, “Daar is baie uitdagings veral as dit kom bydie finansiele gebied en in terme van werksgeleenthede, nie in terms van opleiding nie.”

Me: “Nie op terms van opleiding nie, hoe so?”

Wilma: “Daar is geleenthede, maar ons mense maak nie baie gebruik daarvan nie.”

Me: “Hoekom dink jy so?”

Wilma: “Ons kleurling gemeenskappe het altyd gedink dit is net vir die so-called white people, of moet ek liewer se 'n sekere rasse groep? Ons het altyd ons self laer ge klas.”

Me: “Dink jy dit het 'n bietjie verander?”

Wilma: “Ja, ons kennis het verbreed. Ek like die English term, we came out.”

“We came out, bietjie Diana Ross.” I chuckle

“Oh, yes!” Lag Wilma 

However, she often feels that there are resources available, but “our” people do not often take advantage of the few opportunities given. Here, I believe Wilma is referring to community outreach programmes and municipality-funded initiatives where they create job opportunities catered towards unemployed youths between the ages of 18-25 om ondervinding op te doen in a specific skill set. According to Wilma in Lanquedoc, a large majority of the community do not have a fixed income and are seasonal workers or contract workers, and in the winter months, especially, there is little to no work.

Nonetheless, Wilma speaks passionately about giving back to her community; it was not something she ever had to learn or practice, and she states, “I think I was born a giver.”

Me: “Hoe so?”

Wilma: “Ek dink dit is omdat ek my ma op so 'n jonk ouderdom verloor het. Jy besef dat daar is kinders daar buite wat nie 'n mamma of pappa het nie. So, daai realisation gebeur vroeg, daar is 'n nood en iets wat jy wil mend.” 

Me: “Daar is empathy wat tot fruition kom, amper?”

Wilma: “Absoluut.”

Wilma was married for twenty-one years and one morning she woke up and was a single mum, and suddenly “slaap jy vanaand alleen”. However, she does find comfort in the fact that she could prepare herself for being a single mum as her husband was terminally ill, but there is “no real preparation nie”. Wilma makes a cultural example of the importance of obtaining a matric certificate and one's 21st birthday, both being a huge milestone in her community, which her husband did not get to witness with their middle child. Matric is often a symbol of better work opportunities and often a first generational event, and if a child is conceived before ones 21stbirthday in Coloured culture you do not receive a celebration in the form of a 21st birthday party meaning you do not receive a 21st key, the key symbolizes a future and independence not governed by parenthood, and statistically breaking the generational curse of teen pregnancy in our communities. 

Wilma: “Hy het dit nou nie gemaak nie, maar ons is nog steeds baie trots op hom.” 

Me: “Absolutely! Daar is net dinge wat jy nie kan verhoed nie, dit gebeur en meskien is dit net die universe se timing. Ek is seker hulle is pragtig, though.”

Wilma nods and agrees with a slight chuckle: “So pragtig!” 

Gedig op gedra aan my wederhelfte✍️...

Eers was ons vreemdelinge vir mekaar

Maar toe ons mekaar leer ken, was die liefde duideliksigbaar. Highschool lovers, selfs jeugmaats.

Baie het my  by die naam geken, maar jy mr Josefs het my hart gewen.

Jou bene stompies  agter my  aan gery op jou fiets. By tye amper deur die ander girls gepiets.

Jou pragtige bruin oe het n manier gehad om my speechless te maak.

En dit vir n girl wat so baie kon praat. Ek het geweet jy is die een vir my. Kyk hoeveel jare van saam wees het ons gekry. Stampe en stoote, goeie en slegte tye.

Maar een ding is verseker ,jy was myne !!!!

Wilma’s first attempt at writing a poem was dedicated to “Mr josefs” as she refers to her oorlede man, they met in primary school and then became high school sweethearts. She lovingly sheds light on their relationship and highlights their journey from jong verliefdes to their final moments together. Briefly, Wilma captured the physical eienskappe of what made her swoon, his brown eyes, and humorously ventures into the adolescent jealousy that surrounded their relationship, “By tye amper deur die ander girls gepiets”. She highlights that their path together was not always an easy one, but that she is grateful for the years they got to stumble and build together. She concludes, “Maar een ding is verseker ,jy was myne !!!!”.

Before joining Die Pniel Skryfskool, Wilma started her writing journey. Merely two months after the death of her husband Wilma started writing as a form of healing and calls it, “A big part of the healing process, en daarna toe kon ek nie ophou skryf nie”. Wilma describes herself as a full-time writer “op die huidige oomblik”. However, she admits that being a full-time creative, “Die geld rol nie altyd in nie.”

“Who are you telling?” I joke

Wilma lag: “Ja, jy sal weet! Maar ek glo dat passie is belangriker as geld. Passion is the driving force past all odds, go and go beyond.” 

Me: “Ek stem.”

Writing allowed Wilma to give voice to her emotions; there were certain things she wanted to keep bottled up, which writing did not allow, but one random morning, she decided to write about “my en hom”. She starts writing chronologically about their journey from primary school to high school sweethearts to twenty-one years of marriage, and how thirty-one years just vanished in the blink of an eye. Gedig op gedra aan my wederhelfte was Wilma’s first ever poem and was dedicated to her husband. To Wilma, she had to adjust for her children’s sake and says, “Die lewe gaan aan”. To her is an important life lesson she had to showcase to her children, especially to her daughter, who was eight at the time of her dad’s passing. 

Wilma does not feel like it is hard navigating her current community, she explains, “As mense jou ken, as jy jou laat ken, daar is mutual respect. Daar is geen veroordeling teenoor die volgende persoon nie.”

Me: “Dink jy dit is hard om 'n Coloured vrou in algemeen te wees?” 

Wilma: “Meskien 'n paar jaar terug, but nowadays not really, dit is makliker nou.”

Me: “Wat dink jy is makliker nou as voorheen?”

Wilma: “We have showed out. Ons is meer ge empowered, ons daag op vir ons drome en ander vrouens, ons bly nie meer net stil nie. Ek dink ons het besef ons kan as ons wil.”

Me: “And seeing those advancements first hand, hoe laat dit jou voel?”

Wilma: “Wow, baie trots om 'n kleurling vrou te wees.”

Me: “Is daar iets wat jou specifically trots maak?”

Wilma: “Jy weet, kleurling vrouens het nog altyd 'n plek gehad en contribute aan society. Coloured vrouens is 'n groot deel van die geskiedenis van ons land, en die injustices van kapitalisme. Ons vorm 'n groot deel van die kultuur van ons land.” 

Me: “Hoe dink jy doen ons daai?”

Wilma: “Die arts. Ons skryf nou meer, en nie net deur poësie nie, maar ook die larger arts. Wilma chuckles and says, ons kleurlinge laat ons stemme hoor.”

Me: “Dit is waar -”

Wilma interrupts: “Maar ek moet ook erken dat dit sit nie in almal se broekspype nie.”

Me: “Hoe so?”

Wilma: “Ons raak nie almal groot met daai sense of belonging nie. Dit is nie in almal van ons nie. Ons groei daarin. Dit is 'n proses om jou plekkie en jou stem te vind.”

Wilma does not have an Instagram page and admitted that she keeps forgetting her password, but will gladly give me a follow when it is up and running. Therefore, I could only trace Wilma’s Facebook posts over the last two years (as Facebook, unlike Instagram, kicks you out if you scroll too far down, this may be a security measure). As I deep dived into Wilma’s Facebook page, it was not what I expected. She did admit that she posts on Facebook daily, in my mind, as a non-Facebook user (although I do have the app), I initially thought she meant she reposts memes or motivational videos (which she does), but she also posts all of her poetry, community work and daily endeavours. This instantly reminded me of Kendall’s (2013) infamous hashtag #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen. In 2013, Kendall started the hashtag on Twitter (now X) #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen. The hashtag was acknowledged by numerous users, creators and scholars as a form of digital feminism (The Guardian, 2013). The hashtag did not go unnoticed by “mainstream feminist” according to Kendall, who claimed that the hashtag was harmful towards creators who amplify solidarity. Nevertheless, Kendall high-points that mainstream feminism promotes the idea that gender should outrival race, creating a harmful rhetoric that erases womxn of colour’s experiences and further alienates them from the feminist movement (The Guardian, 2013). Furthermore, what Kendall sought to do was create a space where womxn of colour could have candid discussions about how racism impacts them and how white mainstream feminism does not view racism as a real feminist issue (The Guardian, 2013). Apart from the backlash that Kendall’s hashtag created, it did succeed in bringing womxn of colour to the forefront who started sharing their own personal experiences shaped by race and gender, but who also raised various political concerns. Kendall (The Guardian, 2013) states, “Black women have had to back each other up on social media”, and that “social media platforms are important tools to generate attention” Here, I think Kendall is referring to the idea that mainstream media is not wholly covering grassroots concerns.

Wilma utilises social media to “empower” other women. Her social media is a space where she gets to visually showcase “to never sell yourself short. Moet nooit dink 'n ander vrou is beter as jy nie”. Wilma elaborates by drawing on feelings of inadequacy that a lot of women feel and that they do not need to stay in situations and circumstances where they are not loved and appreciated, and states, “Daai is wat my social media is, a voice.” Wilma demonstrates this by giving me a small tour of her social media, she directs me to a poem she wrote about an up-and-coming singer, Chantel Bonzaaier.  That is why social media plays such a significant role in her life, Wilma says, “I post on social media every day, to give that platform”. Chantel Bonzaaier shares her adoration for the poem Wilma wrote about her and her new journey. Instead of sharing the poem, Chantel uploaded it to her Facebook wall as a screenshot, meaning the poem can be located in her uploads as a picture that has a physical location amongst her posts. 

Wilma rarely writes about herself, although according to her, that might change soon. She has self-published a book of poetry, which was one of the proudest moments of her life because she “dared not to stand back”; therefore, she writes about women she feels empowered by, women who need to know that they are heard and seen.

I ask: “Wat maak die poem so special, behalwe Chantel herself?”

Wilma: “Ek dink dit is net wie ek is, en my motto is; wat jy ervaar, ervaar ek saam. As daar seer is, is ek saam seer, as daar blydskap is, is ek uit my nate uit van trots. My platform gaan daaroor om op te bou.”

This is evident at the outset. Wilma’s writing is in the form of a poem, with short lines that all rhyme. Poetry can capture an array of things without extensive detail or a backstory, which is very different from a short story. Wilma manages to capture the essence of not only Chantel’s journey but also the things that influence and motivate her. Yet you cannot help but feel as if you know the person that Wilma is giving a platform to. Wilma’s poem is riddled with painstaking detail to the strides Chantel Bonzaaier has made by letting her gift shine through her singing voice, something she may have shied away from for multiple reasons; not feeling worthy or never really knowing when to infuse her love for singing within her everyday life, but also highlighting a possible passion other than singing. Her everyday form of employment, in the short poem, Wilma says, “Jy sal verbaas wees wat ek na die tafel kan bring. N knap wyn adviseur. Net soos die wyn ken ek elke geur” Here it suggests that the perfect duality can co-exist between passion and the everyday mundane of the working life. She plays on Chantel’s role model Whitney Houston, someone whose music led the way for Chantel, possibly finding her voice, although in the poem it is stated that Chantel comes from a musically gifted family, but the poem suggests that Chantel may have been the first person in her immediate family that showcase her voice on a competitive level. Wilma highlights the town of Franschoek the town where Chantel is from, perhaps drawing closer on the importance of community, that her hometown just like Wilma is exceptionally proud of her, she says “Franshhoek Cellar my nou” the “my nou” is a common phrase used by Coloured people, it is a way of showing pride and excitement to a specific space or person, a way of remembering and returning to where it all started. In the poem Wilma plays on the idea of devotion and joy that a creative outlet can capture, to highlight, “Byna het die wereld se begeerlikheid my misgelei. Dankie tog eks daarvan bevry”. This leads me to believe that Chantel is showing up, although she may not be earning revenue for her talent, that she is not necessarily in a position to do it full-time. Wilma and Chantel share more than just a passion for the arts in the way that they are both single mothers, regarding Chantel, especially Wilma says in the poem, “Ek moet vir my pragtige kroos n voorbeeld stel. Hulle sal met trots n cd bestel”.

Wilma’s process of showing empathy, empowerment, and grace to women through the social media platform Facebook. Wilma's posts are kragtig. Wilma unveils that she is content with her life where she can acknowledge all her accomplishments afforded to her by “grace” alone, yet highlights that she does not look down on women who are still trying or fighting to reach their ideal destination. As Wilma writes in the poem, “Vrou moeder ouma tannie niggie suster” and highlighting the role all of these different women play in our everyday association to the maternal, how women are at the root of making a house a home, navigating difficulties with a smile, and when dreams feel far out of reach, women are “gebou om beslis te hou” representing the strength and endurance of women in trying times, and Wilma’s acknowledgement thereof. Wilma does a fine job in raising her hat, which enhances the other messages; however, here Wilma has included a picture of herself along with a caption of endorsement to women. Wilma is seen in front of red draping, with a fitted red dress and a pink shall and black heels. It looks like Wilma is at an event, conceivably an event that ignited Wilma’s chosen caption. The caption reveals itself to be an ode to all women being queens, whose crowns have tilted and eventually fell off altogether as a consequence of circumstances and having to make certain choices, but emphasising lending a helping hand without making a fuss about it or the need to convey that you have helped someone, but simply working as a community to uplift all women, “jonk en oud” as stated in the caption of the post.

Furthermore, in an array of different posts, ranging from think pieces to being a guest speaker at events geared towards uplifting marginalised womxn. Wilma was asked by Wellington Museum to read one of her pieces. She chose the piece “Mooi” which is the fifth poem in her self-published digbundel Hoop. In this poem, Wilma’s beliefs are accentuated, that the idea of being mooi is not based on physical appearance or aesthetics to Wilma, but kindness and strength. Wilma was invited as a motivational speaker at an event hosted by the organisation Abba Stellenbosch, which is an addiction treatment centre (SCAN, 2022). The event took place at the Stellenbosch shelter and was focused on keeping womxn clean from substance abuse and off the street. Wilma jots down an encouraging message and titles it “Vrou wees” with a red heart emoji. In this piece, Wilma spotlights the “lekker jy meisie” motto often used in Coloured communities. Lekker jy meisie is often used in a much more humorous way than Wilma’s intention with this post. Wilma spotlights the need for self-acceptance and never comparing your journey to that of another womxn. Wilma advocates for womxn finding and being in community, to surround themselves with womxn that will uplift and inspire them – and suggest that they start by attending events geared towards their betterment.

Moreover, Lanquedoc youth takes up a special place in Wilma’s heart. According to Wilma, it is heartbreaking to witness how so many young people are destroying their lives and future for the sake of fitting in, not wanting to be alone, not doing things alone because they want to be seen and heard, often not in the right sense of those words, she says, “But solank ek gesien word”. That is why, to Wilma, “Ek maak dit my werk” she steps in as soon as she sees they are off course, she walks up to them, sits with them, and asks them what’s wrong, why? According to Wilma, many of them are just seeking an escape, to escape the household more often than not, and to escape poverty. They crave to be individuals, not riddled with “swaarkry” and often feel like no one understands them, and in that journey of discovery, you can become utterly vulnerable. Wilma highlights, “Daar is so baie sukses stories in Lanquedoc. Maar dit is netso belangrik om te vra hoeganit, kom auntie Wilma gee jou 'n drukkie. Ek is meskien nie jou biologiese ma nie, maar ek is hier. Daai is wat daai space create en hulle weet hulle kan uit reach. Hulle vra my auntie Wilma, wanneer kan ek bietjie kom gesels?”. She reflects on her own two sons and says, “My seuns maak ook soms keuses warmee ek nie altyd met saam stem nie, maar ek kan nie by hulle stil staan nie. So as daar iemand daar buite is wat my hulp nodig het, I am all for it.” 

“Mamma vannie gemeenskap,” I laugh.

Wilma chuckles: “Jy is nie die eerste persoon wat dit sê nie, iemand by RSG het gesê ek is die mamma van Lanquedoc, en ek shy nie meer daarvan weg nie, ek begin dit te embrace, en ek daag op as 'n mamma”, but she makes it known that this follows her outside of Lanquedoc, when she goes back to her home town they are elated to see her and truly wherever she goes they run up to her and say, “Wow, hier is auntie Wilma, of hier is mammie of mums, whatever, daar is 'n band.” 

Furthermore, she writes beyond Lanquedoc’s youth, although there are elements that correlate with the youth of Lanquedoc, like Wilma previously mentioned: poverty, hunger, absent parent figures, and not feeling like they belong. Wilma’s poem is dedicated to a particular youth group, in her poem she specifically says “sy” the poem is gendered, and speaks about feeling abandoned by the people placed on earth who are supposed to protect you from the grievances of life “mamma en pappa” the “sy” Wilma is highlighting goes to school with an empty tummy, scared, and does not know how to ask for help, yet in appearance it is evident that she requires her basic needs, i.e, shelter, food, and clean clothes, but the “gee haar net n drukkie” showcases a need for warmth and affection, something that Wilma does with the youth that sheaths her own community. Evidently, Wilma is placing urgency on children in the system, in shelters, wandering the streets, in orphanages, and children who have a house, but not a home. Highlighting that it is not just Lanquedoc’s youth that have captured her heart, but all youths that are suffering and in need of help. Wilma declares that in all our communities there is need, but confesses, “Ek het my hart verloor op Lanquedoc”. To Wilma, it is an indescribable love; she often looks at the sentimentality of her community, the dorpie itself, the stone church, and the rich history. She says, “Omring met berge, pragtige groen, there is so much hope that lies there, and a space to grow”. However, Wilma does admit wanting to part ways with her current community and move closer to her roots, which is possibly moving back to Simondium. Although she loves her current community, there is still “so baie wat gedoen moet work” in her birthplace and moving back would instil “hoop” and lessen “the need.”

Wilma walked into this interview with such confidence, something that I have not witnessed in a long time. As Wilma speaks her eyes never leave mine even when I am jotting down notes as soon as I look up her eyes are on me, she is always locked in. Moreover, Wilma admits, “I forgot to choose a visual, ek was so excited ek het heeltemal vergeet.” 

Me: “Is okay! Ons kan…” here I wanted to suggest that we continue our interview via WhatsApp and then speak about the visual. 

Wilma interrupts and says: “Ek het iets in gedagte, maar meskien is dit te nuut?”

“Te nuut? Hoe bedoel jy?” I ask

She chuckles and tells me that the visual she had in mind, the visual that she would like to choose, is something that only popped up after I asked about her intended visual. To elaborate, Wilma took her chosen visual the morning of our interview and says about her chosen image, “Die visual spreek oor vrou wees, in elke vrou is daar 'n sterk karakter, dit moet net ontdek word, en jy kan dit net ontdek as jy jouself gaan oop maak. As jy 'n neutedop is en daai dop bly op die neut, kan daar mos niks ontdek word nie, erens moet jy die dop laat gaan”. Wilma’s chosen visual is in the form of a selfie, her one arm slightly extended for the picture and her hand behind her head, eyebrows raised, not fully smiling but more so pouting, and her gaze directed towards the camera. Her phone on selfie mode, meaning she could physically see herself before pressing the icon to take her picture, which lets me know that she is content with the image she chose. Her face suggests that she feels confident, that she feels that this is the best representation of herself, and she likes the way she looks in her chosen visual.

Furthermore, beyond the contentment of her chosen visual, Wilma’s visual speaks to the time period that she is in now. To Wilma this signifies letting go of the bitterness and the hurt women experience along the way, she highlights, “Wat jy langs die pad opgetel het, ons hou vas aan minderwaardigheid en verwerping, ons hou dit in 'n dop”. Wilma proclaims that no one should hold onto those feelings, it has real consequences in terms of your mental health, some feelings need to be disposed of so layers can be shed and says, “Ons kan die sagtheid laat inkom.”

Me: “Die sagtheid, daai is so mooi. Elaborate?”

Wilma: “Wanneer iets te hard is kan jy nie deurdring nie, vergifnes is belangrik. Iemand het jou langs die pad seer gemaak, iemand het jou ge drop, iemand het jou teleurgesteld, en nou dra jy daai met die jare saam. Daai besluit om te let go moet kom”. To Wilma the softness that comes with opening yourself up to new experiences and new ways of being brings out the pride in you and says, “Vrouwees gaan nie net oor die uiterlike nie, dit gaan nie oor grimering of jou mooi klere nie, dit dra by tot vrouwees, maar dit moet ook van binne afkom. As jy van binne reg is straal dit uit van buite.”

“Hoe lank het dit jou gevat om by daai realisation te kom, dat daai vulnerability okay is? I think I am still struggling with that myself in alle eerlikheid.” I admit 

Wilma chuckles and says: “Ek dink vir die eerste keer in my huwelik, ek gaan nie nog te veel daaroor praat nie. In my huwelik waar dinge op 'n tyd rotsagtig gewees het, en dit was nie 'n goeie tyd nie. Maar voor my man se dood, moes ek 'n besluit neem om te vergewe, om te laat gaan, om vry te spreek, en die tyd toe hy afsterf het ek geweet ek het hom vergewe. Sodat hy nie hoef daar te gelê het en gedink het ek het my vrou so teleurgestel, hy kon daai versekering hê. I did forgive him.” 

Wilma also has her own modelling group. Wilma states that she is a “proud pageant mamma”, but she herself also gets on the stage. Wilma is pictured in a floor-length gown on what appears to be a verhoog. She states, “Ek hou van skoonheid, en daai uit te bring in ander vrouens. I like for women to do things as a team, not me standing off to the sidelines and saying doen dit so, I do it with you”. She notes that it is not about the crown, but the moment you step onto the runway, the boldness and that the crown is simply a bonus, she proclaims that, “Showing up makes you a winner”. Wilma practices what she preaches, she refuses to stand on the sidelines, she actively shows women how, by doing, she says to her models, “Om op daai verhoog te staan maak jou 'n wenner, nie elke vrou het daai self vertroue nie. Ons almal het ons sterk punte, maar dit vat guts om voor 'n skare te staan, dit gaan nie oor die kroon of sash nie, daai dinge is 'n bonus, but appearing, irrespective of age”. Wilma sheds light on a moment of ageism. She laughs and recalls when her oldest son told her she was going to be a grandma, and she “freaked out” and said to her husband, “Maar ek kan nie 'n ouma wees nie, ek is 'n model! But it was all in the mind, I had to change my mind around it, en ek model nogsteeds.”

Furthermore, Wilma’s days are not just filled with writing and posting as a form of awareness on social media. I mention to Wilma that I am astonished at all that she does in the day, and all that she does in general; she is an MC, she sings live at events and weddings, she is a full time writer, she has her own dance group as well as a modelling group, she herself models and partakes in pageants, she is a youth leader, she does praise and worship at schools and in the church. Wilma started her dancing journey twenty years ago. She started as a solo dancer in the genre of spiritual dancing. Seventeen years ago, she started her own dance group called Creative Dancers and states, “We grew in passion.”

“Ek het altyd gedink daar is net twenty-four hours in the day.” I joke

Wilma laughs and says, “I think I have more than twenty-four hours in my day.”

Me: “It is truly so lovely, but dit klink ook tiring in the we are only human sin van die woord.”

Wilma: “Meskien 'n paar jaar terug, maar nie nou meer nie.”

Me: “Hoe so?”

Wilma: “Ek het myself ooreis, maar toe leer ek om myself te dissiplineer. As ek kan dan kan ek, as ek nie kan nie dan kan ek nie.”

Me: “You have balance now, en daar is baie joy in knowing when to rest.”

Wilma: “Oh, yes! Ek sê altyd, today is my day to recharge.”

“En hoe recharge jy?” I ask

Wilma: “Gee aandag aan my ander passies, kos maak, sport gaan kyk, ek hou van decorate vir events - slaap.”

Me: “Deur social media en deur jou community work, wat maak alles dit worthwhile?”

Wilma: “Ek wil net iemand hoop gee, bly maak, 'n glimlag op hulle gesig sit.”