Yenzokuhle Busakwe, born on June 11, 1999, in East London and based in Cape Town, is a proud Xhosa woman and passionate language advocate. She earned her BA in Language and Literature (English & isiXhosa, 2020) and isiXhosa Honours (cum laude, 2021) at Nelson Mandela University, and completed her Master’s in Creative Writing at Rhodes University in 2022. A performing poet and contributor to the Xhosa anthology Umbona umnandi ngokwaphulelana, she is also a former radio presenter, actress, and model. Yenzokuhle worked as a stand-in for Viola Davis and is part of the upcoming film Children of Blood and Bone.

Research topic: Feminism in amaXhosa Culture through the Embodiment of Gender Balance and Women’s Leadership by Amazibazana.

 My research explores how the custom of amazibazana in Xhosa culture exemplifies African feminist principles by promoting gender balance, women’s leadership, and communal empowerment. By analyzing the role of women in male initiation rites such as ulwaluko, the study challenges Western misconceptions that feminism is foreign to Africa. Instead, it highlights how indigenous practices like amazibazana embody deep-rooted feminist values, positioning women as decision-makers, cultural custodians, and economic agents. The project contributes to African feminist scholarship by revealing the embeddedness of gender justice in traditional Xhosa society.