From breaking down walls to community building on the Cape Flats

LIFESTYLE NEWS - In a township where dreams are often buried under the weight of poverty and violence, Bushra Razack has built a team that has spent almost a decade quietly rewriting what’s possible.

She is the leader who turned a disused cement factory into Philippi Village, a thriving hub for business, culture, and community. Simply calling her a visionary misses the grit, courage, and relentless commitment that define her.

When she began the journey, danger was a daily rhythm. She survived a hijacking attempt with her son, was shot at multiple times, and endured over a dozen smash-and-grab robberies on her way to and from work.

She steered the Village through Covid, devastating floods in 2022, a fire in 2024, and the disruptions of taxi riots, extortion challenges and attempted land occupations.

All the while Razack ensured that the entrepreneurs, creatives, and community members who depended on the space could continue their work in a place of safety, without interruption.

Despite the risks, Razack kept returning. Year after year. Not because she had to, but because she believed in the people, in collective possibility, and in the mission that called her.

Why risk so much?

The Cape Flats are not defined only by their hardships. Philippi, like its surrounding communities, is a mosaic of contrasts — poverty and power, desperation and talent, danger and deep potential and creativity.

According to Statistics South Africa’s Q3 Labour Force Survey the unemployment rate in South Africa is 31.9%, and youth unemployment is as high as 45.5%. As employment opportunities are scarce gangsterism and crime levels tend to rise alongside the unemployment rate.

Into this void stepped Razack, not with fanfare, but with steady belief. Philippi Village became her response to systemic failure, a space where dignity, creativity, safety, and opportunity could coexist.

Under her stewardship, it became inclusive, ambitious, and grounded in community ownership.

Transformation begins at the perimeter

From the outset, Razack demonstrated her commitment to community listening and collaboration. Using Philippi Village’s proximity to community challenges she was in a position formulate solutions with the community. In her first week at Philippi Village, she encountered residents repeatedly attempting to pull down the newly built perimeter wall. Rather than respond with force, she chose to engage directly.

Through conversations with community members, she learned that the open field surrounding the Village functioned as the only available ablution space for many households who lacked access to toilets. The wall, therefore, represented a barrier to a basic necessity.

Understanding that the wall symbolised different things to different people, Razack initiated a community-mapping process to identify local priorities and build meaningful relationships.

She then facilitated collaboration between the community, donors, and the municipality to address the underlying sanitation issue and develop appropriate solutions. This plays testament to the power of listening, partnership, and community-led problem-solving.

A village that works

Under Razack’s leadership, Philippi Village grew into a thriving ecosystem. Between March and August 2025 alone, it supported:

• 73 permanent jobs;
• 193 temporary posts;
• Over 120 businesses.

Every year, more than 8,000 community members engage with its programmes in education, entrepreneurship, sports, arts, safety, and environmental action. During her time at Philippi Village, she has successfully established a host of facilities including a BMX pump track, pop up cinema, sound studio, micro farm, community kitchen and a sewing school.

Leadership that lifts

For many, Razack’s leadership has been life-changing. Zephaniah Ntshekisa, studio manager at Philippi Village, reflects: “Bushra Razack is more than a leader. She’s a force of nature who turns vision into reality and chaos into community. Her wisdom has shaped me, her courage inspires me…and her habit of using (and losing) my charging cables keeps me humble.”

For Ntshepiseng Mbungwane, the journey is deeply personal. She arrived as a Services SETA intern with no experience and, through Philippi Village, became a barista, mobile journalist, DJ, tourist guide, and programme facilitator.

“Bushra has been more than a boss, she’s been a guardian, mentor, and family. When I failed my tourist guide exam, she reminded me that failure is part of growth. She invited me to her apartment and bought pizza and helped me and my colleagues to study together and believe in ourselves. The second time, we passed with flying colours, all thanks to her.”

These stories reveal a leadership style rooted in empowerment, proximity, and humanity. Razack leads by lifting others.

Influence beyond the Cape Flats

Razack’s impact extends far beyond Cape Town. She has worked across Africa, the UK, and Europe through partnerships with global organisations including:

• Standard Chartered Bank
• United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)
• Right to Sight International

In 2023, she hosted a delegation during the state visit of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, using the opportunity to showcase Philippi Village as a model of community-led urban regeneration.

Recognition and accolades

Razack has been consistently honoured for her leadership and innovation, including:

• The Young Independents – Mzansi’s 100 (Healer category), 2017 & 2018
• Power of Woman Award – Innovation Woman 2018
• 40 Under 40 Africa Awards (Winner in the Social Innovation Category), 2024
• Este Lauder’s Vital Visionaries Programme – Global Female Leaders, 10th Cohort
• Three Cities Leadership Forum – Cape Town Emerging Leader, 2024

A legacy rooted in people

Razack’s story is not simply about transforming a vacant factory into an urban hub. Her true legacy is found in the lives she has helped to reshaped — the entrepreneurs who found opportunity, the young women who found their voice, the creatives who found platforms, and the communities that rediscovered hope.

Her philosophy is simple yet profound:

“Transformation begins the moment we stop designing for communities and start building with them because when people shape the spaces they live and work in, those places become catalysts for dignity, opportunity, and lasting change.”

A new chapter, same commitment

Now stepping into a new chapter as a Non-Executive Board Member, Razack continues to guide Philippi Village while mentoring the next generation of leaders. Beyond the Village, she serves as:

• Non-Executive Board Member, Boschedal Wine Estate
• Trustee, Be The Earth
• Steering Committee Member, Bertha Centre for Social Innovation
• Non-Executive Board Member, Heartshine Foundation
• Lead Advisor on Social Strategy and Impact for a private Family Office in South Africa

Through these roles, she continues to champion social innovation, community development, and ethical leadership across sectors.

Bushra Razack did more than build a Village

She built hope, resilience, and possibility — proving that even amid poverty, gangsterism, and systemic challenges, one committed leader and meaningful community dialogue can transform a community.

Her journey is a testament to quiet resilience, persistent optimism, and the transformative power of empathy-led leadership.

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