WHEN visually impaired mother-of-two Thozama Zothe gets up very early in the morning to busk in the CBD, her goal is to help her daughter pay her university fees.
The corner of Longmarket Street and St George’s Mall in Cape Town has become a regular spot for the 47-year-old Khayelitsha woman.
With the assistance of her 14-year-old son, who attends the Athlone School for the Blind, Zothe travels by train from Khayelitsha to perform in the city during holidays and at weekends.
As part of marking the 60th anniversary of Women's Day, the Cape Times spoke to women from different backgrounds and reflected on their daily challenges.
Zothe said it hurts to know that disabled women are not prioritised.
“I don't like coming here but I don't have any other choice. I would like to get someone to help me record an album. I know I have the potential to sing. I cannot afford to pay to record because it's too expensive, because everything in my house depends on me.
“If a door gets broken, I must take care of it. If a window is broken, I must fix it. If a toilet gets blocked, it's myself who must make sure it's fixed. Everything depends on me,” Zothe said.
She cannot rely on her husband as he is mentally disturbed and spends most of the time on the streets.
“I want to make sure my problems are solved and my child finishes her studies. It hurts me that we as disabled people are not prioritised at all, especially now that Mandela is no more,” she said.
Zothe said their lives were changed for the better when they were built a house through Mandela's efforts.
Mother-of-four Myroenesa Ahmad, who runs a stall in St George’s Mall, said: “Everyday is Women's Day because women never get a rest day. From here I have to go home and cook, make sure the kids are okay, their school clothes sorted. So, really, I believe there is no special day such as Women's Day.
Paulina Masconi, 64, from Lakeside, believes being a woman is a bonus.
"We can have men twisted around our little fingers if we want. I suppose, in the workplace, if a woman does the same amount of work as a man, she should be earning the same and have equal rights.”