Hon. Letsike – A Relentless Force For Equality and Human Rights In South Africa
By Jessie Taylor
In the fight for equality and social justice in South Africa, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, is a name synonymous with courage, conviction, and visionary leadership. As a fierce advocate for LGBTQI+ rights, gender equity, and HIV/AIDS awareness, her impact has resonated from grassroots movements to the national Parliament. The work of Hon. Letsike continues to challenge systems of exclusion, uplift marginalised voices, and reimagine an Africa where everyone belongs.
A Dedication To Advocacy
Honourable Letsike’s story begins in Atteridgeville, Gauteng, where her grandparents raised her after losing her parents at a young age. Her lived experience shaped her understanding of injustice and instilled a powerful drive to fight inequality. As a teenager, she was already taking bold steps to break gender norms – challenging her school’s restrictive uniform policy and forming its first girls’ football team. That defiance grew into a lifetime of activism. Understanding that health, dignity, and human rights are inseparable, Hon. Letsike founded Access Chapter 2 (AC2), a civil society organisation named after the Bill of Rights in South Africa’s Constitution. AC2 focuses on protecting and promoting the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals, women, and other marginalised groups through advocacy, education, and community mobilisation.
Under her leadership, AC2 has become a critical voice in the national conversation around equality, particularly in its support for LGBTQI+ persons living in poverty, as well as people with HIV/AIDS navigating hostile environments. Through this platform, Hon. Letsike has helped ensure that South Africa’s progressive Constitution translates into tangible change on the ground.
Her work in the health sector is equally ground breaking. She served as the deputy chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) and chaired its National Civil Society Forum. In these roles, she was instrumental in shaping national responses to HIV/AIDS, particularly as they relate to vulnerable populations. Her advocacy expanded beyond providing access to medication – she championed the need for psychosocial support, especially for women and LGBTQI+ individuals. She has consistently highlighted the importance of inclusive health services that treat people with dignity, not judgment.
Her contributions were also felt internationally, including through her involvement in PEPFAR’s DREAMS Partnership, aimed at creating an AIDS-free generation for adolescent girls and young women across sub-Saharan Africa.
Political Leadership With Purpose
In 2024, Hon. Letsike’s decades of activism culminated in her election to the National Assembly of South Africa under the African National Congress (ANC). Later that year, she was appointed Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, a role allowing her to further her mission from within the government. In this portfolio, she has advocated for urgent action on gender-based violence, economic justice for women, and including people with disabilities in national development agendas.
“We cannot keep talking about equal pay and financial inclusion as a future goal,” she said at a recent Women’s Month event. “The time for action is now. Our freedom cannot be partial.” One of Honourable Letsike’s most powerful recent public appearances was at the Imagining a Queer Africa conference in Cape Town in May. This interfaith gathering brought together religious leaders, activists, and community organisers to confront the weaponisation of religion against queer people across the continent.
She challenged African religious leaders to stand on dignity, inclusion, and love – values deeply embedded in African spirituality before the colonial import of punitive laws.
Amid a wave of anti-LGBTQI+ sentiment sweeping parts of the continent, Hon. Letsike has remained unapologetically visible. When a social media campaign attempted to mischaracterise her gender identity and undermine her credibility recently, she responded with characteristic dignity.
“I remain a proud lesbian woman even in times like these,” she stated. “We don’t give up. We continue to stand up for a just society.” She has been recognised locally and internationally for her leadership and courage and been awarded the Feather Awards’ Simon Nkoli Award, served on UNAIDS’ Strategic and Technical Advisory Committee, and was part of the Global Fund Board for HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria. These accolades reflect her activism and her ability to bridge the gap between policy and lived experience.
Hon. Letsike’s work continues to inspire new generations of change makers in South Africa and across the continent. From classrooms to boardrooms, from clinics to parliaments, she is rewriting the narrative of what inclusive leadership looks like in the 21st century.
Sources: Mamba online | Kuchu Times | TimesLive | SMF News
