WHEN 11 remarkable women with disabilities were honoured at Moses Mabhida Stadium in August 2010, few could have predicted the movement that was being born. Fifteen years later, the Tributes Excellence Awards has become South Africa’s premier platform for celebrating the achievements of women with disabilities, having honoured over 70 extraordinary women who are reshaping perceptions about disability and capability.

Among the women who were recognised during the Tributes Excellence Awards on November 20, at Coastlands Hotel in Musgrave,  were Kamogelo Mokeke (20) and Alexandra Gayapursat (17), the youngest pair of the 15 . At 17, Gayapursat isn’t waiting around for life to happen. Born in Richards Bay and living in Port Elizabeth since 2015, this Grade 10 online student has a different approach to life than most teenagers.

Since her amputation, Alexandra has packed in more adventures than many people experience in a lifetime. She’s gone quad biking through forests, thrown herself off Bloukrans Bridge for a bungee jump, and tackled the world’s longest zip line. These aren’t just bucket-list items she’s ticking off — they’re part of how she chooses to live.

For Alexandra, it’s straightforward: life is meant to be lived fully, and she’s not about to let anything get in her way. While her peers are navigating typical high school experiences, she’s proving that your circumstances don’t have to dictate what you can or can’t do.
She genuinely believes in grabbing opportunities, pushing boundaries, and finding happiness in the experience itself. At 17, she’s already figured out something many people spend their whole lives learning: that the only real limits are the ones you accept for yourself.

Mokeke, the then 17-year-old gymnast who shared the North West Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability award in 2022, represents a new generation of athletes who refuse to let physical limitations define their potential. Her story isn’t just about overcoming adversity — it’s about rewriting what’s possible.

On April 4, 2017, everything changed. Mokeke, then 11 and freshly promoted to level 3 in tumbling, was training on the trampoline when she injured her left leg. What began as a simple injury spiralled into a nightmare as she was rushed between hospitals seeking medical help.
At just 20, with a prosthetic leg and a fire that won’t be extinguished, Mokeke is redefining what a champion looks like. She’s not waiting for the world to accommodate her. She’s demanding that it keep up.

Musa Zulu is the founder of the awards, whose brainchild has seen women with disabilities rise beyond their physical limitations.
“Fifteen years ago, I was navigating my own journey as a wheelchair user, grappling with a society that saw my disability before my humanity,” reflected Zulu.

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“I witnessed brilliant disabled women achieving remarkable things – building businesses, conducting research, creating art, leading communities – yet their stories remained invisible. I founded Tributes because recognition is not vanity; it is validation. It tells someone: your work matters, you matter.”

This year’s honourees represent the full spectrum of disability excellence in business, creative and visual arts, sports, academia, politics, and community work.

Other honourees were Victoria Matebogo, Dr Michelle Botha, Francina Mahlo, Bridget Masuku, Brenda George, Melanie Lubbe, Sithabile Mkhize, Athenkosi Kwinana, Gugu Mjilo, Nicolle Rodda, Pearl  Mbhele, Nombulelo Maphalala and Bona Zungu.

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