Advertise on podcast: Sisterhood of the Travelling Mgowo

Local government elections are happening on 4 November, and honestly, there’s a lot we need to be talking about before we get to the voting stations.Somehow, immigration has become one of the biggest talking points in this election. But what about the water that keeps cutting off? The electricity, the roads, the state of our municipalities and all the other things affecting our everyday lives, whether we're in Johannesburg or our own hometowns across South Africa? In this episode, we get into the state of local government across the country, the ongoing struggles in Johannesburg and how coalition politics has affected the city. We also unpack how political parties are using these issues to campaign, the disappointment many people feel towards the ANC, and why spatial apartheid is still very much part of our everyday reality.And then there's the question of voting. A lot of South Africans have lost faith in political parties, and it's understandable. But does that mean we stop paying attention altogether? Or do we get informed, look at our options and make the best decision we can with what's in front of us?We also break down how the municipal voting system works and what you can expect when you get to the voting station, so you're not walking in wondering what to do with your ballot papers. With election day around the corner, please voteee!! Get informed, know your options and make your voice count. 🇿🇦

Who gets to feel safe, heard and represented in South Africa? And what does any of that mean when the streetlights in your neighbourhood don’t work, the water keeps cutting off, or you can’t afford to get into the spaces where decisions are being discussed?In this episode, we get into queer identity, politics and the upcoming local government elections - from understanding what we’re actually voting for to the very real consequences of who ends up in power.We talk about ward councillors, service delivery, the IEC and why knowing how your vote works matters. We also get into the way economic frustration gets turned against immigrants and LGBTQIA+ people, how corruption has become normalised in everyday life, and why simply being unhappy with the government isn’t enough if we’re not holding our local leaders accountable.There’s also a conversation about class within the queer community itself. Who gets access to the conversation? Whose experiences are being represented? And what happens when money and geography determine who gets to participate?

30 episodes later… and we’re tired guys 😭 This week feels a little like a life update, a debrief and a “what is actually going on?” all rolled into one. We talk about feeling overexposed online and wanting to pull back from social media, having very little social battery left, and figuring out which spaces actually fill our cups instead of draining them. We also speak about the reality of GBV in South Africa and how difficult it is to keep watching the same conversations happen without enough changing. It’s made us think a lot about safety, dating, the people we allow into our lives and what real accountability looks like beyond another post or infographic. And somehow, we’ve made it to Episode 30 after taking a three-year break from the podcast. 🥹 Thank you to everyone who came back, found us for the first time, watched, listened, commented and shared the show.

Heritage Day had us thinking. When did it become Braai Day?  Somewhere between the specials, campaigns and Heritage Day content, it feels like we’ve lost a bit of what the day is actually meant to represent. So we got into our own cultures and what they mean to us personally. Sinesipho speaks about being Xhosa, Mixo about growing up Tsonga, and somehow we end up everywhere from language and family traditions to marriage, kneeling for men and why women always seem to be the ones working at cultural gatherings while everyone else is having a great time.  There are parts of our cultures that we love and really want to hold onto, and then there are parts where we’re like… guys, can we talk about this? And maybe that’s part of having a relationship with your culture too. Knowing where things come from, asking questions and figuring out what still feels like home to you.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses gender-based violence, murder, abuse and the deaths of women. Please take care while listening. To everyone listening, We had this conversation because of what has been happening in South Africa.At some point, we have to ask ourselves what we’re doing with all of this.GBV can’t only be a conversation for when another woman is killed. It has to be something we talk about in our homes, in our friendships, in our families and in the spaces where men are comfortable enough to say things they might not say publicly. This conversation is about that responsibility. About the friends who know. The family members who see it. The people who hear the joke, witness the behaviour or know what someone is capable of, but choose to stay quiet. We talk about what accountability can actually look like, the kind of content young people are growing up with, childhood neglect, misogyny and why simply posting online cannot be where our involvement ends. We don’t have all the answers. But we do know that these conversations need to keep happening, and they need to happen much closer to home.

There’s a lot to unpack this week. From South African music and the importance of creating spaces to really engage with local artists, to parenting, online misogyny and the way we’re raising the next generation. We chat about Mamakashaka and Friends’ “Track by Track” initiative, what gentle parenting actually looks like beyond the internet discourse, and why we need to be careful about how quickly we turn tragedy into an excuse for violence or harsher parenting. We also get into the “pink pill” pipeline and how seemingly harmless content can quietly reinforce some pretty harmful ideas about women. A little bit of music, parenting, social media!

Let’s talk about what happens on South African social media when women announce pregnancies and the moral judgements they’re subject to when they do. We consider and challenge perceived societal expectations, conditioning and patriarchal biological timelines. In this episode, we dive deep into the recent online uproar sparked by two popular influencers announcing their pregnancies in their 30s. Exploring the stark differences in how the public reacted to both announcements based on relationship dynamics. Sinesipho reflects on her own lived experience, interrogating why marriage and relationship status are continually placed on a moral pedestal. Tune in for a raw conversation on safeguarding our shared humanity, learning to stop performing care online, and shifting our politics toward building an intentional community that truly protects and nurtures vulnerable populations.

In this week’s episode, we’re getting honest about what it actually looks like to do the work on yourself. With one of the hosts approaching 32, the conversation gets into therapy, emotional regulation, ADHD, loneliness and the uncomfortable process of learning how to actually sit with your feelings instead of running from them or trying to analyse everything to death. They talk about what changed after an ADHD diagnosis, learning to understand and name their own needs, and the strange vulnerability of letting people into spaces you’ve spent years protecting. There’s also a conversation about not taking every bad interaction personally and learning when something has nothing to do with you, and when it’s simply time to protect yourself and move on. Most importantly, this isn’t about becoming a “better” person than everyone else. It’s about doing the work because you want to be here for your own life. And looking back at their 20s, they get into the things they wish they had known sooner, trusting your intuition, holding onto your individuality, enjoying where you are and letting yourself both give and receive love.

In this week’s episode, we’re talking about overextending ourselves and why so many of us have become the people who will just “handle it,” no matter how tired we are. This week, we’re joined by a friend of the pod, Kabelo Mabaso, for a conversation about where this habit comes from, how it shows up in our relationships and work, and what happens when constantly being the one who comes through starts to take a toll. We get into where that habit comes from, especially when you grow up watching the women around you constantly do for everyone else. Before you know it, you’re the one filling every gap at work, helping everyone in your family, showing up for your friends and somehow still feeling like you could be doing more. We also talk about burnout, codependency and that resentment that creeps in when you’re always the one giving. Because sometimes you’re doing so much for people that they don’t even realise you’re struggling, and sometimes they didn’t ask you to do half the things you’re now frustrated about.At the heart of it, we’re asking what healthier, more reciprocal relationships actually look like - where you can support people without completely running yourself into the ground.

In this week's episode, we’re talking about money, friendship, and the awkward reality of trying to have a social life when everything is getting more expensive. The cost of living is making a lot of things feel out of reach, and we get into why there shouldn’t be any shame in saying, “I actually can’t afford that.” Socialising and community are important, so how do we make space for each other without anyone feeling left out or financially stretched? We also talk about the pressure to keep up appearances online, from going out to fitness, beauty and all the other ways we quietly signal that we’re doing well. Sometimes you have to ask yourself whether you actually want something, or whether you've just been convinced that you should want it. And then there’s friendship: knowing when to give, when to receive, when to speak up about money, and how to make sure nobody is quietly keeping score.

We had a lot to get off our chests this episode. From the emotional toll of the recession and the guilt that comes with spending money, to friendships that feel one-sided and people who want to know everything about your life while telling you nothing about theirs. We also get into deadbeat parents, accountability, confrontation, forgiveness and why keeping the peace isn't always worth it. Sometimes you have to say what needs to be said, set the boundary and move on. We talk about Women's Day, what it actually means to show up for the people around you, and why everything doesn't need to happen online. We also get into how much we're consuming versus how much we're actually reading, learning, making and thinking for ourselves.

There are some conversations that come around every Women's Month, and then there are the ones we don't spend enough time sitting with.In this episode, we unpack what it means to be a woman in South Africa today, from the everyday weight of navigating patriarchy to the frustration of watching the same cycles of abuse, silence, and performative accountability play out time and time again. We talk about why so many conversations online feel disconnected from history, why it's important to understand the systems we're trying to challenge, and why reading, learning, and asking better questions still matter. We also reflect on the role of community, the importance of standing by your values, and what it looks like to hold people accountable—not only when it's convenient, but when it counts.

Every August, we're reminded to celebrate women. But somewhere along the way, it's easy for the real meaning of Women's Month to get lost behind campaigns, discounts, and social media posts. In this episode, we're asking what Women's Month should actually look like in South Africa today. We reflect on the legacy of the 1956 Women's March, unpack the issues that continue to affect women across the country, and have an honest conversation about everything from gender-based violence and economic inequality to the rise of online gambling and its impact on young women. We also talk about the role we all have to play beyond posting online. What does it mean to show up for our communities? How do we become more engaged in the places we live? And what does meaningful support actually look like once Women's Month is over?

Have you ever felt like you really knew someone from the internet? This week, we're joined by Yolanda and Yaya as we unpack parasocial relationships and what it's like to have thousands of people feel connected to you after watching your life unfold on national television. From their time on Big Brother to navigating life as public figures, we talk about fan culture, setting boundaries online, and the fine line between being relatable and being accessible. We also reflect on the pressure of living in the public eye, staying true to yourself, and what it means to build a community without losing yourself in the process.

Birthdays have a way of making you take stock. One minute you're making birthday wish lists, and the next you're wondering if you're where you thought you'd be by now. In this episode, we talk about everything birthdays bring up - from the pressure to celebrate, social media expectations, and the cost of getting everyone together, to the excitement of getting older and becoming more comfortable in who you are. We also reflect on what we're carrying into this next chapter: setting better boundaries, being clearer about what we need, and choosing to celebrate growth over perfection.