Thandeka Themba Is Flying Through Barriers... And Into History

Photo Credit: Thandeka Themba | Supplied

Thandeka Themba used to stare at the sky and wonder what it felt like to fly. Today, she knows… and she’s on a mission to help others believe they can too.

South Africa (16 June 2025) – There’s something beautifully nostalgic about watching a plane take off, its wheels lifting off the runway, slicing through clouds like it was always meant to be up there. For Thandeka Themba, that image was more than a passing fascination. It was the spark of something bigger.

“I used to stare at the sky for hours as a little girl,” Thandeka shares. “Watching planes disappear into the clouds and wondering who was up there… and how they got there.”

She never imagined one day it would be her.

Growing up in South Africa, the idea of becoming a pilot felt as far away as those tiny planes above her.

“Aviation felt reserved for other people. Other places,” she says. “It’s expensive. It’s exclusive. It’s intimidating.”

But Thandeka’s love for flying was louder than the doubt and stronger than the obstacles stacked in her way. Her first flying lesson sealed her fate.

“As we taxied to the runway, I could feel my heart racing—not with fear, but with anticipation. And when the wheels lifted… it was like everything suddenly made sense.”

From that day, she knew she had found her purpose.

With no clear runway in sight, Thandeka began paving her own. She worked part-time, studied with determination, and poured every bit of herself into each flight hour. The result? She earned her Private Pilot License, a massive milestone for any aspiring aviator.

But for Thandeka, it’s just the beginning.

“I want to complete my Commercial Pilot License (CPL) so I can fly professionally,” she explains. “That’s the next goal. But getting there requires hundreds of thousands of rands to cover the training, flying hours, and certification.”

While Thandeka’s journey is personal, her purpose is anything but.

“Aviation still isn’t an easy space for women to enter, especially young Black women,” she says. “Sometimes it feels like you’re carrying the weight of every doubt ever cast your way. But when I’m flying… that weight disappears.”

Representation matters. And Thandeka knows the power of visibility.

“I want little girls to see someone who looks like them in that pilot seat. I want them to know they belong there too.”

To help make the next leg of her journey possible, Thandeka has launched a BackaBuddy campaign. She’s calling on her fellow South Africans (and anyone who believes in bold dreams) to support her flight path with whatever they can.

“Every contribution, no matter how small, gets me one step closer,” she says. “This isn’t just about me flying planes. It’s about flying through the limitations people place on others.”

Thandeka is not waiting for permission to chase her dream. She’s already in the air, figuratively and literally, paving the way for others, one flight at a time. And whether it’s R10 or R10,000, being part of her journey means helping someone fly beyond the limits of expectation.

Because sometimes, all it takes is one ‘yes’ to change everything.

If you’d like to help her continue the journey, you can support her dream here.