Welbedacht activist wins Lotus FM Woman of Substance award - IOL
A POWERHOUSE CELEBRATES: Ma Mavis Nkosi proudly holds her bouquet of flowers and her award after being named the 2026 Lotus FM Women of Substance Awards winner in the Disability category. For the Welbedacht community activist, the honour marks a powerful moment of recognition after years of advocating for and empowering people living with disabilities.
Welbedacht community activist Mavis Thobekile Nkosi has been named the 2026 Lotus FM Women of Substance Awards winner in the Disability category following a ceremony in Umhlanga recently.
The 63-year-old, who has spent decades advocating for people living with disabilities and assisting vulnerable women and families, said the recognition came as an absolute surprise.
“I was humbled. I felt blessed, shocked, excited and a whole whirlwind of emotion,” Nkosi said.
“My fellow nominees were strong, inspiring women, and I honestly thought one of them would win. This award is a huge boost of confidence for women like myself who overcome the challenges that a disability brings to our daily lives.”
Her journey, however, began long before the applause. Born on the South Coast in Mkhomazi, Nkosi grew up without a stable or intact family unit, moving frequently between relatives and experiencing the painful weight of childhood rejection. As an infant, she contracted polio, which left her with permanent physical impairment in her lower limbs and required her to use crutches for mobility.
Rather than allowing her difficult childhood or physical impairment to determine her future, she relied on her faith and determination to build a life centered on community service. She recognized early on that many individuals living with disabilities in marginalized townships were isolated, hidden away, or denied basic opportunities.
In 2009, Nkosi formalised her passion by registering the Fundani Disability Organisation as a non-profit entity. The organisation was founded with a clear mandate: to reach the most indigent members of the disabled community, educate families, and advocate for equal rights and visibility.
Operating without a formal office building or administrative headquarters, Nkosi conducts her grassroots work directly in the field.
“I always say the community is my office,” she said.
“On any given day you will find me in many places, from meetings in town to the hospital, the Department of Social Welfare, the church, and my home base. My crutches never prevent me from commuting unless I am unwell.”
A VOICE FOR MILLIONS Ma Mavis Nkosi speaks into the microphone at the Lotus FM Women of Substance Awards, a fitting image for a woman who earlier this year was selected by Disability People South Africa to provide input on behalf of disabled South Africans for the 2026 State of the Nation Address. Her interview was conducted by Ukhozi FM and her message was broadcast to the SONA committee. “Being selected gave me the opportunity to be the voice for millions of people in the disabled demographic in South Africa,” she said.
A core focus of her advocacy is the severe lack of accessible public transport in communities like Welbedacht and across KwaZulu-Natal. Hundreds of children living with disabilities remain confined to their homes because families cannot access or afford suitable transport to take them to special needs schools, therapy, or routine medical appointments.
“A simple trip to the local hospital is something others wouldn’t think twice about,” Nkosi explained.
“However, if you are on crutches, in a wheelchair, or using a walking frame, just getting to the main road becomes a dilemma. Many buses and taxis are simply not equipped for wheelchairs.”
Her intervention work also addresses social crises facing vulnerable women. In 2011, she took up the case of a 16-year-old disabled rape survivor whose family was facing eviction and being urged by community members to drop the charges due to the girl's disability. Nkosi stepped in, coordinating with SAPS and Social Welfare to secure justice and housing, while simultaneously exposing how few emergency shelters are equipped for wheelchair users.
Spurred by the high prevalence of gender-based violence and domestic abuse, she opened her own home in Welbedacht as an official White Door Centre. The facility provides an immediate safe haven for women fleeing abusive situations after hours, over weekends, or on public holidays when formal social services are closed. To date, she has personally assisted more than 50 women through this emergency refuge.
Nkosi’s persistent grassroots efforts eventually elevated her voice to a national stage. Earlier this year, Disability People South Africa (DPSA) selected her to represent the country's disabled demographic for the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) consultations.
Broadcast via Ukhozi FM, her submission to the SONA committee highlighted critical systemic gaps, including the lack of disability-friendly RDP housing, inadequate municipal sanitation, and the widespread financial exploitation of disability grant recipients by family members.
Despite the expanding scope of her work, Nkosi emphasizes that her achievements are the result of collective support from her daughter Thulile, dedicated social workers, local ministry leaders, and fellow activist Leena Bachu, who nominated her for the award and affectionately dubbed her the “Powerhouse”.
Looking ahead, Nkosi is focused on securing a dedicated, permanent facility for the Fundani Disability Organisation. Her vision includes a fully equipped sheltered workshop where individuals living with physical and intellectual disabilities can undergo work-skills training, participate in social programmes, and build independent livelihoods.
“Remember, your disability does not define who you are and the power that lives inside of you,” Nkosi said. “Make your voice heard, look for help, and don’t stop. Keep knocking on doors until somebody listens.”
