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Humans of RCL FOODS: Daphney Mohlala
She speaks so others may rise: The Story of Daphney Mohlala
From the quiet streets of small town in Mpumalanga, emerges a voice that carries far beyond its borders – a voice of courage, faith, and renewal. This is the story of Daphney Mohlala, a mother, a wife, a devoted member of the Zion Christian Church, and an employee at Sunbake Nelspruit. Her life is defined not by what tried to break her, but by how she chose to rise.
As the world observes the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Daphney steps forward to share a truth she carried in silence for years. Her journey began in hardship, growing up without a mother’s guiding hand. That absence taught her resilience. It gave her strength. And when life tested her in unimaginable ways, that strength became her anchor.
There was a time when darkness overshadowed everything -a time when fear and pain threatened to silence her forever. Her world was turned upside down in one afternoon by intruders who not only invaded her house but sexually assaulted her too. For over a decade, she kept her story hidden, not because she lacked courage, but because silence felt safer than judgment. Yet deep within, a spark remained – a belief that her voice could one day light the way for others.
That day came unexpectedly, during a company event where conversations about gender-based violence opened a door she thought was sealed. Speaking out was not easy. It meant revisiting wounds she had tried to forget. But in that moment, Daphney realised something powerful: her story could be someone else’s lifeline. Her voice could break chains of fear and shame for women who believe they are alone.
Today, Daphney speaks not for pity, but for purpose. She speaks to remind others that survival is possible, that healing is real, and that silence does not define strength. Her faith has been her compass, guiding her through the darkest valleys toward a horizon of hope. Prayer, counselling, and the unwavering belief that she is more than her pain have shaped her into a beacon for others.
“Many are silenced by shame. Many are silenced by fear,” she says. “I want them to know they’re not alone. Too many of us die in silence.”
Daphney grounds her healing in prayer, faith, and the courage to finally give her pain a voice. The counselling she received offered support, but it was her unwavering faith and the act of speaking out that carried her through the darkest chapters of her healing.
“You must first be the one who heals,” she says. “People want to feel sorry for you, but I don’t want that. I refuse to be defined by the violence that I ensured, I am survivor, brave, visible, and unbroken.
By sharing her story, Daphney becomes more than a survivor – she becomes a symbol of resilience. She rises so others may rise. She speaks so others may speak. Her courage reminds us that even after unimaginable darkness, life can be rebuilt – stronger, braver, and brighter than before.
In the same way that one woman showed up for her in her darkest hour, Daphney now shows up for others. Her journey is proof that healing is possible, and that no one should ever have to walk that road alone. Through her voice, she offers hope, comfort, and the promise that light will always find its way through the shadows.
