Four women whose work has made a difference in healthcare, community development, women’s rights and education were honoured by the Sisters for Justice (SFJ) at the 2026 Catherine of Siena Appreciation Awards in Johannesburg on Monday, 10 August.
The awards were presented at St Mary’s Retirement Home in Hyde Park on National Women’s Day. This year’s recipients were Cecilia Moloantoa for community development, Lesley Ann Foster for women’s rights, the late Matilda Giwu for education, and Lara Klement of St David’s Marist Inanda for access to excellence in education.
Cecilia Moloantoa
Moloantoa’s award recognises more than a decade of her work in Catholic healthcare and community development, particularly during the early years of the HIV and AIDS epidemic in South Africa.
She served for 12 years as Director of Health of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC). During this period, she was instrumental in developing the Catholic Church’s response to HIV and AIDS.
In 1990, Moloantoa organised a national Catholic HIV and AIDS consultative conference, bringing together representatives from dioceses across the country to discuss the Church’s response to the growing crisis. The meeting led to the formation of the Catholic AIDS Network, with Moloantoa becoming its director.
Working alongside her senior bishop, Johannes Ludgerus Bonaventure Brenninkmeijer OP, she was also involved in establishing the SACBC AIDS Office and developing a coordinated response by the bishops’ conference.
Her work in this field brought her to the attention of the Vatican. She was invited by Pope John Paul II to represent sub-Saharan Africa on the Vatican Pontifical Council for Health, a position she held from 1989 to 1999.
For ten years, she attended the Council’s annual meetings in Rome, where she contributed to discussions on health from the perspective of the Church in sub-Saharan Africa. Her work also took her to international conferences in different parts of the world. Over the course of her career, she travelled to 28 countries in connection with her work.
One of the more unusual chapters of this period came when a group of African-American Catholics approached her about visiting South Africa. They wanted to see the country for themselves during the transition from apartheid and, in particular, to see the work being done by the Catholic Church among communities in places such as Soweto and Alexandra. Moloantoa helped facilitate their visit and their contact with communities and Church projects on the ground.
Lesley Ann Foster
Lesley Ann Foster was recognised for her work in women’s rights.
Her career has involved advocacy on issues affecting women and a sustained concern for the rights and circumstances of women, particularly those whose voices are often overlooked.
The award placed her work within the wider social justice concerns represented by the Sisters for Justice.
Matilda Giwu
The late Matilda Giwu was honoured posthumously for her contribution to education.
Her award recognised the work she did as an educator and the influence that work had on those she taught.
The award was accepted on her behalf, acknowledging a contribution to education that continued beyond her own professional life.
Lara Klement
Lara Klement of St David’s Marist Inanda received the award for access to excellence in education. Klement was instrumental in the establishment of the St David’s Marist Inanda Alexandra Campus**, which opened in January 2023 with its first Grade 8 class.
The campus is a satellite of St David’s Marist Inanda and operates in partnership with St Hubert’s Catholic Parish in Alexandra. It provides access to the Marist school’s education to boys from Alexandra and surrounding communities.
The project also has a connection with an earlier chapter in the history of Catholic education in Alexandra. The new campus continues the legacy of the Holy Cross Sisters and the original Holy Cross School, which served the Alexandra community before moving to Soweto and becoming Immaculata High School in Diepkloof.
The establishment of the St David’s campus therefore marked the return of Catholic secondary education to Alexandra, with the school operating from the St Hubert’s parish grounds.
For Klement, the award recognises the practical work involved in making access to a high-quality Catholic education possible for young people from the township.
Moloantoa said she received the award with gratitude, but saw it primarily as recognition of a period of service involving many other people.
“I have always believed that if you have been given an opportunity to serve, you must use it for the benefit of others. This award is a reminder of the many people who have shared that journey with me.”
Klement said the Alexandra campus was built around the belief that young people in the township should have access to the same standard of education available elsewhere.
“The Alexandra campus is the result of many people believing that young people in Alexandra deserve access to an excellent education. I am grateful to have played a part in bringing that vision into reality.”
Mike Thiel, Executive Headmaster of St David’s Marist Inanda, said Klement had played an important role in the development of the school’s presence in Alexandra.
**“Lara’s contribution to St David’s Marist Inanda and, in particular, to the establishment of our presence in Alexandra, has been significant. The recognition is a fitting acknowledgement of her commitment to making quality education accessible to young people who deserve the opportunity to benefit from it.”
Sr Biddy-Rose, speaking on behalf of the Sisters for Justice, said the awards were intended to recognise women whose work had produced a practical contribution to their communities.
We wanted to honour women whose work speaks for itself and who have given of their time, knowledge and energy in the service of others. Each of this year’s recipients has contributed in a different way, but all have shown what is possible when women use their gifts to serve their communities.
The Sisters for Justice will later this year release a book on Catholic anti-apartheid activists, documenting the contribution of prominent lay Catholics who fought against apartheid. For further information about the book, contact Sr Biddy-Rose on 072 300 8873 or .
