A local pastor in Cape Town showed that faith and community action go hand in hand.
The Reverend Tanelle Welff-Dixon rubbed shoulders with some of the country’s most respected women as she was named in the Top 30 finalists at the Most Influential Women 2025 Awards, recently held at GrandWest Casino in the Mother City.
Welff-Dixon was shortlisted from more than 200 nominations received from across South Africa.
The awards ceremony organised by Big M Productions is designed as a national platform to shine a spotlight on women who are making a meaningful difference in their communities as every single finalist gets recognised for their work, while the event does not declare a single “winner”.
This recognition is not about me.
Rev Welff-Dixon, who serves as executive director of the Scottsville-based TWM Foundation, stood out as the only religious leader among all the finalists. Her non-profit organisation is on the frontlines of some of the Kraaifontein community’s toughest battles, combating gender-based violence and femicide, and supporting survivors of domestic violence.
Reflecting on her recognition at the awards ceremony, Rev Welff-Dixon said: “Initially I was taken aback by my nomination in a secular event, but I later realised that God may have wanted me to represent Him there. This recognition is not about me. My award goes out to the hundreds of thousands of people of faith who work tirelessly every day in communities across South Africa. They are the unsung heroes. I encourage my fellow clerics to keep on keeping on, doing the good work, and showing the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ.”
