The Top 100 Influential Women for 2022 were awarded by Big M Productions on Saturday, 11 June, at Sibaya’s iZulu Theatre. The annual awards are aimed at recognising unsung heroines for their influential work in various communities, from all walks of life. The Springfield Weekly Gazette invited Sandra Naidoo for an On the Couch interview to get to know them better and get insight on the work they do in their communities.
Human rights activist and Umhlatuzane Municipality Ward 26 Councillor, Sandra Naidoo, was also awarded as one of the Top 100 Influential Women for 2022 and said she was truly honoured for the nomination.
SWG: Tell us about your nomination and how you felt when you were called to the stage?
Sandra Naidoo (SN): This was my first nomination but definitely not my last. More rewarding for me is going back to my constituency to further uplift and sustain the safety net that I have already laid. My purpose and goal is to continuously support the voiceless and vulnerable citizens of my community.
SWG: Besides being a ward councillor, what work do you do in the community?
SN: I have been working in the community for eons, long before I won the title of councillor. My title as councillor came from a highly merited platform. I was always a safety net in my community. I have continued with my activism as I will always remain an activist – it’s in my DNA. I am a councillor, however, I am not political. This country needs more activists.
SWG: What are some of the challenges you experienced in your journey as an activist and councillor?
SN: My journey as a human rights activist was an inborn trait. Most challenging is the lack of empathy for vulnerable and voiceless citizens of our nation. Domestic violence and gender-based violence is crippling the lives of our families. The injustices which are now a normality and lastly the government departments which are not delivering on their mandatory responsibilities. As a councillor, it’s the lack of service delivery in uMhlathuze. I am glad to say that it’s not the fault of the councillors, it is the repercussions of the previous administration.
SWG: As a woman in leadership, do you feel that women deserve to be given equal opportunities as men and currently in our country, do you see women being recognised for their strengths?
SN: Most definitely. I have been fighting inequality against women for as long as I can remember. I have a burning desire for equality and believe in one unified nation. Women need to sit around the table where critical decisions are made. We need to be bold and assertive in demanding a place at the table. We must take our own chairs. Women must never be sidelined by mediocre leaders. We must not eat a formulated menu that is going to suppress us further. Enough is enough and women in general are the epicentre of growth and sustainable development. South Africa has one of the most advanced human rights policies. To my disappointment, as women, we have not reached our peak in leadership roles. Women need to unite and fight for equality for all just as we fought for freedom. True leaders leave no one behind.
