Izimbokodo to light up theatre stage!
😆There’s always iDrama yama passenger ladies🎭. Don’t miss out on “You Strike A Woman, You Strike A Rock” Directed by Rorisang Motuba Showcasing at Lesedi Theatre from 23 Feb – 09 Mar. Book your tickets now! #SchoolSetWork #YouStrikeARock pic.twitter.com/TkyDn0qXgn
— Joburg Theatre (@joburgtheatre) February 10, 2025
THE South African classic, You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock, continues to resonate in 2025.
This play highlights the resilience and struggles of women during apartheid.
It’s scheduled to run from 23 February to 9 March at the Lesedi Theatre.
Daily Sun engaged with the three lead actresses: Ziaphora Dakile (Sdudla), Keitumetse “Kitty” Moepang (Mampompo), and Barileng Malebye (Mambhele) and delved into their connection with their characters and the play’s contemporary significance.
Ziaphora, who plays Sdudla, is a professional actress who trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York before returning to Mzansi in 2019.
“I do a lot of theatre, voice work, film, and TV.”
Born in Zola, Soweto, Ziaphora has committed herself to storytelling across various platforms.
She depicts Sdudla as a profoundly political figure, unafraid to challenge injustice.
“She’s a pro-political activist in 1985 and 1986 when PW Botha introduced the Dompas and enacted laws controlling movements of black people. She lost her husband to the apartheid regime. He died on Robben Island. Her two sons went into exile, leaving her with nothing, yet she remains defiant.”
Ziaphora finds Sdudla’s narrative deeply relevant in 2025.
“Women played a crucial role in empowering our homes, freedom, and society, and this still holds true today,” she said.
Keitumetse, born and raised in Brits, North West, began her acting career at the University of the Witwatersrand.
“I’ve been in the industry since 2010, working in TV and theatre,” she said.
Her screen credits include It’s Complicated on Mzansi Magic and The River.
Playing Mampompo, a woman from Transkei who moves to Cape Town to find her husband and provide for her kids, Kitty said: “She’s a traditional, naive woman. She believes in the system, trusting that law abidance will ensure her safety.”
Kitty admits she doesn’t personally relate to Mampompo, as they are opposites in many ways, but connects with her character through her family’s experiences.
“Women in the 80s fought apartheid. Today, we fight gender-based violence and the gender pay gap.”
Barileng, who plays Mambhele, hails from Mahikeng, North West.
She trained at the Market Theatre Laboratory in Joburg and attended the Tshwane University of Technology.
“I’ve been a professional actor since 2011.
“I’ve performed in King Kong: The Musical and Making Mandela, among others, and appeared in The River and The Wife on Showmax,” she said.
Portraying Mambhele, an independent street vendor in Cape Town, Barileng described her character as a hustler and a go-getter.
“She has four kids by four different fathers and is the sole provider for her household. Mambhele is nurturing yet tough, embodying a woman with a plan.”
Barileng sees parts of herself in Mambhele.
“I resonate with her because I, too, am a go-getter.”
Each actress reflected on the powerful phrase You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock.
Ziaphora sees the play as a declaration: “I’m powerful, a trailblazer. I claim my freedom.”
Kitty views it as a reminder of women’s resilience, and Barileng believes it encourages women to recognise their strength.
Through their performances, they aim to bring history to life and remind audiences that the fight for equality is far from over.
