Rethabile Zilila possesses a multidisciplinary flair which sets her above her peers – a performance poet, facilitator, specialist wellness counsellor, and an emerging social scientist. She is the founder and director of Poeta Grace Consulting, a creative and wellness company, which also formed part of the 2025 Pan African Creative Exchange (PACE). Armed with a business and entrepreneurship leadership certificate from the Young African Leaders Initiative; Regional Learning Centre - Southern Africa (YALI RLC-SA), this TEDx speaker and performer is a force to be reckoned with. Her transition from STEM to the Social Sciences is a testament of her passion for community, justice, and healing.
Rethabile began her professional life in the engineering sector working as a design project engineer after graduating with a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the Central University of Technology – Free State (CUT-FS). As a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, she holds two postgraduate honours (BA Hons.) qualifications (Psychology and Drama Therapy) from the University of the Witwatersrand where she is finalizing her master's degree (MA) in Health Sociology. Currently, Rethabile freelances as a radio drama author for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). She is one of three Sesotho writers of Lesedi fm's Monyaka - an edutainment drama airing daily on weekdays at 13h45.
As a facilitator, Rethabile is first a mental health advocate and a social justice activist. Her focus is on creative expression and wellness. Her purpose is opening people's mouth so that they can speak their own healing. Hence, she began Mingled Arts Productions which created events (i.e., Pianos & Guitars Poetry Nites) and facilitated a space for new voices to be heard, discovered, and renumerated. And mostly recently, through her new company, she created KEYSOW Poetry and Jam Sessions in partnership with other creatives. Physically, she works between Free State (Bfn) and Gauteng (Jhb), partnering with multi-stakeholders and netweorks, the likes of Mr. Central SA Group, Angel Foundation, Art Cafe, Drama for Life, Wits Sociology Department and many others.
Rethabile's community development and advocacy work spans over two decades. Some of her servant leadership roles include volunteering as a counsellor with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), #FMF_EndAusterity, MCSA, and Black Womxn Caucus. The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) forms part of her formative leadership years which groomed her for community engagement scholarship, lay counselling and care work. Currently she fulfills the duties of pastoral care in the youth church. She has devoted her life to serving structurally violent communities; particularly in townships, in pursuit of social justice and improving the social determinants of health for sustainable development.
