In this edition, we speak to Thembelihle Ngcai about her journey into disability rights advocacy, navigating the intersection of her identity as a Black woman and a person with a disability, and her thoughts on building an inclusive society. She also shares her perspective on Mia Le Roux, a woman with a disability, winning this year's Miss South Africa competition.
Dear Girl Bosses Under Duress,
I'm thrilled to announce the launch of the GBUD Podcast, an audio-visual extension of this newsletter. Each week, we dive deep into conversations on health, wellness, culture, and career development—everything you need to thrive as a girl boss under duress in today’s challenging landscape. The podcast is hosted by me, where I facilitate conversations guiding us on our journey of resilience and empowerment. Subscribe to the podcast here, and listen to our very first episode.
The ‘Best Thing’ Segment
It is my honour to introduce The ‘Best Thing’ Segment, featuring conversations with formidable individuals on self-worth, self-care, and self-love. Inspired by Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, this segment engages with marginalised people—particularly those who are Black, women, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and more—to unearth and affirm their “best thing.” Our goal is to create a supportive community where we can learn from each other’s experiences and feel empowered to prioritise our own well-being.
Interview with Thembelihle Ngcai
For this week’s edition, we interviewed Thembelihle Ngcai, a formidable woman whose journey has had a profound impact on many. Her work, deeply rooted in advocacy and human rights, is transformative. Born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 3, a rare degenerative neuromuscular disease, Thembelihle has never let her condition define her limits. She holds an honours degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University and an advanced certificate in Disability Studies from the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum in the UK.
Thembelihle is a powerhouse in advancing disability inclusion, promoting it as a shared responsibility across government, the disability sector, and private organisations. Her work has driven improvements in performance management strategies and developed evidence-based tools integral to planning, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluation programs across diverse organisations. Her advocacy has reached the highest levels of government, with her presenting proposals on disability inclusion to the Eastern Cape Premier and the provincial Cabinet. She has also shared her insights on international stages, including a keynote address for the South African Human Rights Commission and presentations at the RareX conference, where she championed the recognition of rare diseases as a public health imperative.
Beyond her activism, Thembelihle is an internationally recognised essayist who has collaborated with organisations like Volvo Group Southern Africa, Rhodes University, and McCain Foods Group, to name a few. She is also a Trustee of the South Africa Epilepsy Educational Trust, focusing on providing tertiary education funding for students with disabilities. In addition to these accolades, she is a service excellence multi-award-winning manager in the public service, spends her time ballroom dancing, and credits her longevity in disability activism to being proud to be disabled.
Thembelihle Ngcai (Image Supplied)
Thembelihle Ngcai (Image Supplied)
Thembelihle Ngcai’s Journey into Disability Rights Advocacy
Thembi Matroshe: Can you tell us a bit about your journey into disability rights advocacy and what sparked your passion for this cause?
Thembelihle Ngcai: My consciousness of my disability has been an ongoing process. Initially, I saw my identity solely as someone with a medical condition, but over time, I realised it’s the societal barriers that disable me. That’s where my activism stems from. I became an activist around the age of 17. As my awareness grew, I became more deliberate in how I used my influence.
Thembi M: Could you expand on your mental health advocacy?
Thembelihle: My mental health advocacy is closely connected to my disability. I fell into a depression during my final year at university and was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. I chose to embrace the diagnosis, understanding that mental illness is just another facet of who I am.
Thembi M: What are the most significant challenges you’ve faced, and how do you strive to overcome them daily?
Thembelihle: One of the biggest challenges is that people have a singular understanding of disability and mental illness. Society often fails to appreciate the nuance, asking us to leave parts of our identity at the door, which creates additional barriers.
Thembi M: How can we create safe spaces for people to be themselves without masking who they are?
Thembelihle: It’s about collective ownership and responsibility. We need to recognise and embrace the multifaceted identities of individuals instead of forcing them to conform to narrow categories.
Thembi M: What self-care practices do you do to keep yourself grounded and stay resilient?
Thembelihle: Staying connected to community is key for me. Self-care for me is rooted in loving myself and wanting the best for myself all the time. I’m willing to do anything to make myself happy. Prioritising time is also crucial.
Thembi M: How do you contend with deadlines, bosses, and bills while also needing rest? Thembelihle: Boundary setting has a lot to do with influence and where you are within the food chain. It’s about having the courage to live the life you want, even if it means going against the grain.
Thembi M: Let’s discuss Mia Le Roux’s win as Miss South Africa. What are your thoughts on her achievement from a disability advocacy perspective?
Thembelihle: Mia Le Roux’s win as Miss South Africa is a moment cemented in history. It was a beautiful moment, but what followed wasn’t entirely pleasing. However, we must focus on what this moment represents. Mia’s participation challenges the notion that disability equals inferiority. Her win is crucial in how we interpret pageants and what they represent. Miss SA has changed its rules to be more inclusive, allowing disabled women to compete on an equal footing with able-bodied women. This win is a step toward creating a more inclusive society, but there’s still work to be done.
Thembi M: It’s about not being reactive but ready to meet the moment when it happens. Thembelihle: Yes, exactly.
Newly Crowned Miss SA, Mia Le Roux. (Image from Times Live)
Thembelihle’s Reflections
Thembi M: Who or what inspires you to continue your work in advocacy?
Thembelihle: I'm inspired by my network, particularly my mom, who takes on challenges as if she has prior experience with disability. I’m also inspired by my friends who are long-time advocates and activists for disability, by friends who proudly share my posts and claim me as their disabled friend.
Thembi M: What are your current or upcoming projects in line with your disability rights advocacy?
Thembelihle: Right now, it's Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month, so I've been running ad hoc awareness campaigns on social media. I also do Q&As where I answer both personal and non-personal questions transparently. I believe that by sharing openly about my life, I disarm those who might try to weaponise my disability against me. Another initiative I’m involved in is a play adaptation of an Enid Blyton story called The Magical Faraway Tale. The production includes wheelchair ballroom dancing, which is something I stumbled upon.
Thembi M: What is the best thing about the work that you do, and how does it motivate you to keep going?
Thembelihle: After focusing so much on professional success, I’m now asking myself: What am I doing all this for? How do I want to be remembered, and what do I want to leave behind? SMA is a life-threatening disease, and I’m acutely aware of my mortality. I approach my life as a tool book for others. I’ve lived through many moments where I wished someone could guide me, but no one had gone through what I was going through. I’m documenting everything—my experiences with pregnancy, dating, friendships, and more—to offer some form of guidance to those who will come after me.
Conclusion
Thembelihle Ngcai's work inspires me on a daily basis. I am so thankful for the words she spoke and the experiences she has shared. She is definitely a voice to listen to, and an individual whose journey is worth following. As we close off national Women’s Month and international Spinal Atrophy Month, this feature was indeed necessary. Let’s continue this conversation on social media. Please subscribe to our newly launched podcast. The full episode featuring Thembelihle Ngcai will launch tomorrow. In the meantime, you can tune into Episode 1 here.
Much love,
Your fellow girl boss under duress,
Thembi
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