Women who beat the odds: Langa’s Nomzamo Mbete

Four years ago Mbete gathered together a group of 14 girls between the ages of 13 and 16, mostly from Langa. She founded the girl group Suka Nontombi (“praise to the young women”) specialising in African dancing and singing.

Every day after school the girls go to her house to practise and at weekends they go to places like Green Market Square in town to dance for the public.

The girls know the basic movements from the streets and Mbete coaches them to perfect their dancing.

The group is often invited to dance at special events such as weddings and private functions and in restaurants.

“Young girls are sometimes exposed to negative things, like pregnancies, abuse and all other things that later destroy them in life,” says Mbete.

“So as an older person I wanted to make a difference in some of the girls’ lives and make a positive contribution.”

Gcina Mbete,16, a member of the group, says what her grandmother is doing is good for the community and for the girls.

“In my community in Langa there are girls who are involved in gangsterism. Some of them do not go to school. Also there is a huge percentage of teenage pregnancies and many drop out of school,” says Gcina.

She says the girls in the group are too busy to be on the streets. They also support each other with school work; during exam time, instead of practising dancing, they study together.

Mbete says she also wants to teach the girls how to knit, sew, to garden and do beading.

“Teaching the girls these things will provide them with skills and we will sell what we make and use it as income for the group and for their families,” says Mbete.

Suka Nontombi group dancing in a culltural day event in Langa. Photo by Pharie Sefali.

A few months ago Mbete launched a new group for children between the ages of five and nine who are taught the same dances as the older group.

She says that her passion for children dates from the time she had to move from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town and had to take care of six children in a one-roomed shack for many years, working as a trained sangoma.

“Raising my children on my own made me a parent to many children who did not have a bond with their parents. So I became a person who loves children and wanted the best out of them.

“What I am doing now for the children is to create means for them to become successful in life and not struggle like I did,” says Mbete.