Asonele Melapi, 33, is an activist in the gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) space. Named after her sister, who was killed by a boyfriend of four months, she started the Nokwanda Patocka GBVF Foundation to advocate for survivors of abuse, whether in the courts or in their personal healing journeys.
Asonele is a member of a number of organisations, including the Women’s Sector Council in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Baphi Abafazi Movement, the Youth Chamber Council Committee and the National Gender-Based Violence Working Committee of the Informal Economy Development Forum. In 2023, she won the 22nd Nelson Mandela University Herald Citizen of the Year award for Gender-Based Violence and she was the recipient of the Inside Politics 100 South African Shining Stars award in the same year.
In 2024, she was the United Nations Best Diplomats Delegate and winner of the South African Cities Network Youth-Led GBV 2024 award. She says she hopes to see a nation where gender-based violence and femicide do not exist, “where all human rights are adhered to and perpetrators of this scourge are harshly and severely punished by our courts of law”.
Project Management and Office Management Certificate, Imsimbi Training Institute
I am the founder and chairperson of the Nokwanda Patocka Gender-Based Violence Foundation, regional secretary of the Women’s Sector Council in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, head convenor for the Baphi Abafazi Movement, member of the Youth Chamber Council Committee, chairperson of the National Gender-Based Violence Working Committee of the Informal Economy Development Forum, a National Gender-Based Violence ambassador for the South African Police Service, a member of the SAPS Spiritual Crime Prevention Committee in Nelson Mandela Bay, winner of the 22nd Nelson Mandela University Herald Citizen of the Year award for Gender-Based Violence in 2023, recipient of the Inside Politics 100 South African Shining Stars award in 2023, the United Nations Best Diplomats Delegate of 2024 and South African Cities Network Youth-Led GBV Competition Winner 2024.
I am proud of all my accomplishments but I am most proud of my achievement in the Not Again GBVF Prevention and Support Project in institutions of higher education. I won a South African Cities Network Youth-Led GBV Competition and it will provide funding and capacitation opportunities.
We won equipment to the value of R25 000 that will assist us in the implementation of our self-defence and gender-based violence and femicide Awareness Workshops in Universities and in Tvet Colleges.
My biggest role model was my sister, Nokwanda Patocka. She was more than a sister to me. She was intentional and ambitious. She was part of the initial stage of the Vodacom Challenge and brought that sporting event to the Eastern Cape Port Elizabeth. She lived life to the fullest and tackled all obstacles she faced head-on.
Other role models made me keep pushing on after her death. I am currently also selected for the TILP Trauma-led Black Women in Excellence Programme which has offered us life coaches and mentors. Mrs Nhlanhlo Mkhize is one of my mentors and she is a resilient lady. Babalwa Mbuku is a self-made entrepreneur, she too has motivated me to stay the course and has shown through hard work and determination anything is possible. You can become anything you set your mind to.