South Africa has lost a giant in the fight for justice. Fiona "Makondelele" Nicholson, a tireless human rights activist and pioneer in the battle against sexual and gender-based violence, passed away on 1 May at the age of 74.
Known affectionately as "Makondelele" – meaning "perseverance" – Fiona dedicated more than 25 years of her life to empowering women and children in one of South Africa's most patriarchal regions. She was the founder and long-serving director of the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme (TVEP), which supported more than 10,000 survivors of rape, many of them children. Her fierce advocacy changed lives, challenged broken systems, and demanded accountability where silence once prevailed.
After retiring from TVEP, Fiona established Practical CBO Development Solutions (PracSol), a non-profit organisation through which she continued to share her hard-earned experience and wisdom. Despite declining health and limited resources, she remained committed to mentoring the next generation of community leaders.
Those who worked alongside her speak of a woman who was more than a leader – she was a mother figure and an inspiration. Thinamaano Ndou, who worked with Fiona for 17 years, reflected on the deep loss: "I started knowing Fiona in 2004/2005 when Vhutshilo Mountain School was launched in Tshikombani. In 2008, we started working together, but she became more than just an employer — she was like a mother to me. I have learned a lot from her, and I want to see her legacy continue. It hurts to lose her."
Journalist Phathutshedzo Luvhengo, who worked with Fiona on several stories, also paid tribute: "My first encounter with Fiona was when I was doing a gender-based violence story. This was early in my career when I was at Limpopo Mirror. She was very passionate about women's rights and fighting the scourge in the Vhembe District and across the province. She has left a void in a society where her work did not only touch many, but changed many people's lives for the better," he said.
Fiona believed in the power of local leadership, survivor-centred support, and holding institutions accountable. Her legacy lives on in the lives she helped heal and in the courage she inspired in others to speak out, stand firm, and demand justice.
She is survived by loved ones, friends, former colleagues, and the many community members who continue to draw strength from her life's work.
A memorial service will be held at her home in Thathe Vondo on Saturday, 10 May.