On August 9 1956, more than 20,000 South African women of all races staged a march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria during which they protested a proposed law that saw women of color forced to carry “passes”—a tool that served to maintain population segregation. In commemoration of the historic event, Women’s Day and Month is observed every August in South Africa in an effort to draw attention to significant issues African women still face from domestic violence and sexual harassment to unequal pay and lack of education. To honor the moment, we’re spotlighting four South African cultural icons and creatives in history who have redefined (and continue to redefine) feminism in South Africa. Oh, and did we mention they also happen to be incredibly stylish? Read on to discover who they are. 

Brenda Fassie

1964-2004

Known as the “Madonna of the Townships” throughout her career, Brenda Fassie (or Ma Brrr as she’s known by her legions of fans) was South Africa’s princess of pop, a maverick musician who agitated middle-class pieties as much as she did apartheid boundaries with her rebellious nature. An unapologetically defiant woman who broke records with the sales of her albums in the 80s and 90s, Fassie scandalized a then very conservative South Africa with her fashion choices, her unforgettable aesthetic expression including micro miniskirts, over the top jewelry, bell bottoms, and more.

In 2004, the singer-songwriter, dancer, and activist passed tragically at the young age of 39 years old. Still, Fassie’s legacy as a cultural icon endures, her music, style choices, outspokenness, and fiery personality rendering her a South African treasure. She was a woman the establishment couldn't control, a woman who made her own rules and balked at the idea of conforming to society’s expectations of women. “I’m not going to start justifying my character,” she is quoted as saying about her detractors' perception of her. “The way I am is the way I am, if I want to do anything with anyone that’s nobody’s business ... I do anything I want to do.” That was Fassie: an outspoken challenger of the status quo who did what she wanted, how she wanted, whenever she wanted.

Bonang Matheba

1987-Present

One of the “most powerful entrepreneurs—man or woman—in modern day South Africa” according to Forbes, Bonang Matheba is the country’s very own “Queen B.” A woman widely admired for her ability to build longevity in the cutthroat entertainment world, Bonang is celebrated for finding success across a plethora of various once male-dominated industries. She’s also seen as a role model to many young women who draw inspiration from her life and career, her extraordinary and admirable work ethic having stirred up something inside the millions of fans who hope to emulate her journey.

When it comes to fashion, Matheba is similarly miles ahead, often spotted in striking looks by the likes of African designers like Thebe Magugu, Gert Johan Coetzee, Viviers, and Taibo Bacar. From hosting red carpet events for E!, a brand ambassadorship for Revlon South Africa and heading up The Bonang Matheba Bursary Fund (which aims to provide 300 young girls the opportunity to pursue a tertiary education), to breaking into the luxury alcoholic beverage market, launching a lingerie line and writing a bestselling memoir, Matheba has proven herself a titan of entrepreneurship. She’s a strong woman that has forged her own path and created her own narrative. “Being a powerful woman, she says, “means that you are strong enough to make your own decisions, to be free, and to break the status quo that people have set up for women.”

Thando Hopa

1989-Present

A lawyer, activist, model, and actress, Thando Hopa has proven herself a force to be reckoned with across the board, a fashion-forward woman whose multi-faceted career and unapologetic championing of representation has garnered her fans and admirers across the country. Born with albinism, she made history in 2018 when she became the first woman with albinism to appear on the cover of Vogue Portugal as well as the first Black South African woman to star in the iconic Pirelli Calendar. And since in certain parts of Africa those with albinism still face an intense stigma, Hopa’s success, comfort in her skin, and increased visibility proves to be a radical and powerful statement in and of itself.

Having worked as a legal prosecutor for four years predominantly representing women who were victims of sexual assault, Hopa was spotted by South African designer Gert Johan Coetzee who cast her as a model for his eponymous brand: this partnership would blossom into a symbiotic relationship that has seen Hopa become something of an unofficial face of the label, one whose impact is felt in each and every field she has dedicated herself to. “I think that as a Black African, and woman with albinism, I have fought for empowerment my whole life,” she says. “Everything that goes against this is the origin of my activism; it is the reason why I am an activist.”