Meet Skasi Belinah Thabethe, the 1st Female Taxi Driver in Ratanda
- Skasi Belinah Thabethe made history as her township's first-ever woman taxi driver
- The trailblazer has been in the male-dominated industry for an impressive 25 years
- Speaking with Briefly News, her daughter Sindile opened up about her mother's many life challenges and thanked her for the wonderful life she provided
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Skasi Belinah Thabethe will forever go down in history as the first woman taxi driver working the roads of her township of Ratanda. The single mom spent 25 years tackling the ups and downs of the male-dominated industry and her grateful daughter has penned a touching tribute to her mama.
Source: UGC
Speaking with Briefly News, Sindile Thabethe opened up about the many hardships her mother endured to provide a good life for the little girl. Her mother's work ethic and determination have always stuck with her and Sindile felt it important to share her mom's trailblazing story.
"She didn’t quit despite all prejudice, insults and belittlement. Some male passengers didn’t want to be driven by a woman, even women too... Yet she didn’t give in. Well, after all, she had a child to feed," Sindile writes.
Growing up in hardship
The mom and daughter did not always have it easy as Sindile describes having to relax her hair with the leftover creamer from her neighbour's hair treatments or having to make do with cheap tissue paper in place of sanitary towels.
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However, despite the hardships, Belinah always reminded her daughter about the importance of an education.
"I lived in poverty, we were just surviving. I got used to having my hair done with waste cream relaxer from other people. I normalised using tissue as my pad during my periods... that cheap cheap brand toilet paper.
"My mom used to tell me that I need to be good at doing domestic chores so that I would be someone’s maid, or even better get a matric and possibly get a job... Those words were my catalyst to want better and do better," she says.
A safe and happy woman-headed household
In closing, Sindile expressed much gratitude towards her mom for working so hard to provide a safe and happy home. Once upon a time, her mother would forfeit relationship after relationship just to make sure her daughter would never be exposed to any abuse from a man.
The pair made it through together and certainly always had one another.
"And for 25 years in the industry? She really made those men uncomfortable, she was there, whether they liked it or not, she conquered. She made history in Ratanda, first women taxi driver," Sindile added.
SA Police: Meet Constable Motaung, the only female bomb specialist in her unit
In more inspirational news, Briefly News previously reported that Constable Mammokso Motaung began her career in the South African National Police Force as an unpaid volunteer service member. Fast-forward 16-years and the inspiring policewoman is now one of only a handful of women in her highly skilled field.
Becoming a bomb disposal specialist
Motaung is a Bomb Disposal Specialist in the organisation. Originally from Phuthaditjhaba in the Free State, she began her career in 2003 as a police reservist and worked only on a volunteer basis.
The Constable found an opportunity for full-time employment and in 2005, successfully secured her role as an accounting clerk. She held this post until 2011 when an opportunity arose for her to undergo the Basic Police Learning Development Programme (BPLDP) as a police trainee at the SAPS Tshwane Academy in Pretoria.
After four more years, the member underwent some seriously intense training and joined the Germiston Explosives Section. She is currently the only female officer in her unit.
What does Motaung's job entail?
As a Bomb Disposal Specialist, the member responds to incidents that are bomb-related and defuses the deadly weapons, making sure the area is safe. Some of Motaung's daily work includes investigating incidents related to ATM bombings, cash-in-transit heists and suspicious parcel recovery.
Opening up about what it takes to do her job, the Constable shared that a person needs to have quick thinking and reasoning skills for making excellent decisions at the scene of a crime.
One also needs to be patient and have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
"When I arrive at a scene, I command everyone to evacuate the scene because bomb scenes are extremely dangerous. I enter the scene with the equipment and my sole focus is find the bomb," she shares.
In closing, Motaung has encouraged bystanders to be calm at an explosion site and strongly discouraged members of the public from investigating bomb sites themselves.
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Source: Briefly News
