Almost a week after Women's Day and already in the middle of SA Women's month, the statistics on the abuse of women in our country remain frightening: One in nine of reported rape cases ever leads to successful prosecution and the estimates run as high as one in twenty ever being reported at all. 

Our disconnect between the most progressive gender-equality-promoting Bill of Rights on Earth, and an appalling track record of actual abuse against women is not just bizarre, it's wrong! We can't just be A ok in theory - making vast PR declarations while real women get really hurt! But here's a little story to warm hearts and bring smiles, in my favourite womanpower tale of all time. And it's all true.

My mates Graeme and Alette in Grahamstown employ Nomsa to look after their little girl. Nomsa is sweet, quiet, well spoken, polite, slightly built and always smiling. A rural girl, from a small Transkei village. Sweet beyond!

One night earlier this year, a man broke into her home in Joza - Gtown's lokshion - drunk, aggressive and looking for all kinds of the wrong love. 

Hardcore!

But this is where it gets good.   

Nomsa pulled out her kierie and bliksemmed the devil out of him - clobbered him literally to within an inch of his life - put him in hospital before he went into custody. Nearly killed him! Turned the monster into a wimpering pound of bleeding flesh.

You see, what the poor evil bugger didn't realize was that he'd broken into the home of the girls' stick fighting champion of a small Transkei village; and she wasn't going to take his crap lying down!

Amazing!

Today, every time I'm bombarded by yet another meaningless message against women's abuse in SA, which is backed up by nothing but sentiment and government blown hot air, I smile as I think of Nomsa and her personal bill of rights enforced by a strong kierie and a big heart. And in the middle of women's month, what greater smile than that can there be?