“I see myself in her book.”

That was the feeling that kept coming up as Dineo Tsoai, Zandile Sithole and Jessica Tshabalala reflected on Gadifele Moeng’s book, Redeem Your Confidence, at its launch at Renew Café in Pineslopes.

The three women, who reviewed the book, spoke about the parts that made them stop, think and sometimes reach for their phones to tell Moeng just how deeply the story had affected them.

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Tsoai described the reading experience as deeply emotional. There were moments when the book felt so familiar that she could not simply turn the page and move on.

“I remember when I was reading the book, I messaged her and said, ‘You’re going to make me cry.’”

She said Moeng’s experiences reminded her of her own childhood and the labels that can follow people without others ever knowing the full story behind them.

“I remember the story where she said they called her names. I could relate a lot to growing up, because there were things that I used to be called, and people don’t know what those things do to you.”

For Tsoai, that is what made the book worth returning to. It was not something she believed could simply be read once and put away.

“I’m going to be going over it again and again and making notes. I would recommend it to absolutely everyone.”

She also hoped young people would discover the book sooner rather than later, believing its lessons could help them navigate life before years of self-doubt begin to take root.

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“We’re getting it now, but can you imagine if they get it when they are young? Imagine what they would learn from it.”

Sithole found herself connecting with another thread running through Moeng’s story, the difference between the confident child one once was and the person life eventually shapes.

“As a child, I was very confident. But as you grow, you meet new people, you have different experiences, and you start believing certain things about yourself.”

That confidence, she explained, can become buried beneath experiences and the constant voice of an inner critic.

“You end up not being as confident as you were when you were younger. You start questioning yourself, and you don’t put your ideas out there.”

One particular story in the book brought that feeling sharply into focus for her.

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Moeng recounts being in a professional setting where she had an idea that could have helped solve a problem. Instead of speaking up, she kept the idea to herself, while another colleague shared an idea and ultimately saw it adopted.

“That story really resonated with me. I would be doing the same thing as her,” said Sithole.

.“I would internalise some of the things that I’m allowed to share. Sometimes it’s out of fear of being rejected or disregarded.”

For Sithole, the lesson was not simply about speaking more loudly. It was about learning to trust yourself enough to take up space.

“A lot of it has to do with trying to please people. There is a peace in yourself when you do what makes you happy and not hear about what others do.”

Tshabalala’s reflections brought a more personal dimension to the conversation as she spoke about Moeng not only as an author, but as someone she had come to know and admire.

“She is a phenomenal woman. I think the world needs more people like her.”

She recalled meeting Moeng over breakfast and being struck by her personality almost immediately. Moeng’s warmth made the encounter memorable.

“She had this very robust, vibrant personality. I was being very shy that morning, and the next thing she said to me was, ‘Do you need a hug?’”

That simple moment, Tshabalala said, was the beginning of a relationship that made reading Moeng’s book all the more meaningful.

“That’s how our relationship actually developed. So I think she’s such an amazing person.”

As Thoriso Moeng, who served as MC, guided the conversation, the reviewers repeatedly returned to the same idea: the book had made them look inward.

“That is why it is a must-have. You will be able to have honest conversations with yourself and build confidence in a way that is rewarding for your life,” said Moeng.

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