LONDIWE Shezi, owner of Makoti Boot Camp, said her programme is about more than learning to do chores.
The Durban businesswoman said there was nothing wrong with being a modern African woman while also being in touch with your traditional side.
“The only reason some people see the boot camp as oppressive is because we’ve been so westernised that we see anything to do with tradition as oppressive,” she said.
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“Some people may not understand why they should pay to learn how to make umqombothi, but most of us don’t know how to make it. We’re quick to judge women who don’t have traditional skills but we don’t judge women who go for English cooking and baking classes. Some city women marry into rural or traditional families and find they are judged for not knowing these skills.”
She said the boot camp was also for single women who just wanted to learn. The boot camp invited motivational speakers as well. Nokwethemba Lamula, an attendee, said she learnt how to cook certain traditional food and how to handle finances.
“Most importantly is that I learnt how to make sure my mental health is good while being a good makoti,” she said.
“We also got to do extreme sports, hiking and more.”
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A woman who called herself Crazy Q Sibiya said people had been dragging her on social media.
“Some said it’s just to please a man but it’s not about that,” she said. “It also teaches you about mental health issues.”
