Instead of fighting for acknowledgment for her contribution, she decided to invest in farming as a way to sustain herself. However, recently, the star used her social media platforms to highlight just how dangerous it is to be a female farmer based in rural areas.
Brenda Ngxoli highlights the plight of female rural farmers
It all started during the week when the country was focused on the passing of Hip-Hop legend Kiernan “AKA” Forbes. Brenda took to Twitter and broke her silence on the experience of being a female rural farmer without the backing or support of a man. Her first tweet thread explained:
“Good Lord as Female Farmers sihleli kakubi ezilalini (we are constantly living in fear). Over the past 3 years I have lost hundreds of livestock. Aggressiveness on the daily. Kufuneka soyike (They want us in constant fear). And the worst part is that bazifuye (they steal them)right in front of you.
Just izolo (yesterday) and this morning. People rocking up at our gate with sticks and wanting usohlutha imfuyo (want to come and take our livestock).
They've been harassing my mother because engumfazi onemfuyo (she is a female rural farmer) without a husband. They've stolen mine by droves and are now wanting to fetch them in broad daylight.”
But it seems that when Brenda and her mother managed to turn them away, from her subsequent tweets, it seems that the people in question then called the SAPS on her and her mother alleging that they are the ones who stole their livestock.
As such, the SAPS accompanied by the complaints were constantly coming to the Ngxolis to harass them. So much so that after three days of incessant harassment, Brenda returned to social media to share the officers' ID licenses to ensure they were SAPS officials.
It's real bad . Mr Matiwane just arrived with so called Police ... I feel intimidated and unsafe . The urged me not to post about their visit . The police said they are from Tsomo Police and Komani Stock theft. Yet Matiwane has not opened a case against me @SAP
Network is bad and we are scared and feel intimidated . It's 3rd day in a row. Mr Matiwane was accompanied by a Mr LC Baleni and O Maseti..... @SAPS@SAP are they for real. Plz retweet as what if they not real
In light of the danger she felt and shared, the former The Queen actress was able to get legal assistance on the matter. As such, she shared her final word on the matter via an official statement. It was this statement that explained the context of the SAPS harassment.
However, as to how the matter is set to be dealt with, the statement only confirmed that she cannot share much at the moment as the matter has been turned over to the authorities.
However, several other female rural farmers also thanked Brenda and her candour in highlighting the light that female rural farmers without the backing of male assistance have to go through on the daily to earn an honest living. A fact which is usually overlooked by many who incentive and promote women in agriculture and farming.
