‘Being a woman is to be a warrior of authenticity' — Vanessa Govender

TimesLIVE

a day ago

What does it mean to be a woman in contemporary South Africa?
Being a woman in contemporary South Africa is to navigate a vibrant yet challenging landscape, where resilience and hope coexist with systemic struggles. I see it as embodying the strength forged in the crucible of history and present realities — things like gender-based violence, economic inequality and cultural expectations still cast long shadows. Yet, it's also about claiming space in a society pulsing with possibility, where women are rewriting narratives through art, activism and storytelling. And doing so unapologetically.
It is also carrying the weight of my experiences as a South African Indian woman, stories of abuse and survival, woven into Beaten But Not Broken, a memoir that recounts my five-year abusive relationship during my time at the SABC with a radio jock, and themes of identity and race relations, and the ultimate celebration of both those things in my recently released The Village Indian. It's about standing tall despite scars, using my voice to amplify silenced truths. It's the courage to challenge patriarchal norms while celebrating the sisterhood that uplifts us: mothers, aunts and friends who inspire resilience. In today's South Africa, being a woman is to be a warrior of authenticity, weaving personal and collective histories into a tapestry of change, demanding equity and embracing the power of our stories to heal and transform. It's about knowing there are young girls watching, and we owe it to ourselves and them to never drop the baton of owning our stories and our truths even when it makes others uncomfortable — especially when it makes others uncomfortable!
Which book by a South African woman writer made the single biggest contribution to your literary work?
Country of My Skull by Antjie Krog is a fearless exploration of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission that resonated profoundly with my own journey of confronting painful truths in Beaten But Not Broken. Krog's ability to blend raw emotion with unflinching honesty showed me how to write from a place of vulnerability without losing strength. Her work taught me that storytelling can bear witness to both personal and collective trauma, creating space for healing.
Similarly, Zakes Mda's The Madonna of Excelsior. Though Mda is male, it's the female voices in this book that echo South African women's resilience, planting the seeds for The Village Indian. The novel's vivid portrayal of women navigating racial and social complexities inspired me to craft real-life characters who reflect the layered identities of South African Indian women. These works emboldened me to write unapologetically, embracing the messy, beautiful truths of survival and identity, and to use my personal experiences as a brown woman in a mixed race marriage, living in a predominantly white village, as a conduit for empathy and empowerment in a nation still grappling with its past and present.
Margaret Atwood wrote: 'A word after a word after a word is power.' How do you reclaim your power as a woman writer in South Africa?
For me words are both shield and sword, used to navigate the parameters of and also delve deep and with brutal honesty into the issues that speak to the core of our souls as women occupying this sometimes treacherous and beautiful terrain of being South African, something I am fiercely proud and protective of. Each word in my story of surviving GBV in Beaten But Not Broken and my experiences in The Village Indian is a step towards reclaiming my narrative from the silence imposed by abuse and societal expectations. Writing is my rebellion against the forces that sought to diminish me — a way to transform pain into purpose.
In a country where women's voices are often stifled by violence or cultural norms, I reclaim power by telling stories that refuse to be ignored, stories of survival, identity, and resilience as a South African Indian woman. Each sentence is an act of defiance, challenging stereotypes and amplifying marginalised voices. By sharing my truth, I invite others to confront theirs, creating a ripple effect of empowerment. My pen dismantles shame, stitching together a narrative of strength for myself and others.
As a woman writer, my power lies in authenticity, writing from the heart of my experiences, weaving cultural heritage with universal struggles. It may not be to everyone's taste but then women's stories and experiences rarely are and that's what makes it even more imperative to tell them! In South Africa, where women's stories are vital to our healing, I reclaim power by crafting words that spark dialogue, foster empathy, and inspire change, one story at a time. Word after word after word we set the world alight with the power of it, a fire that can never be extinguished and the words which will remain long after we have gone, igniting another girl's soul to do the speak her truth and reclaim her power.