They came to hear how to live their own best lives but most of all they came to see her: 6 000 people from across South Africa and even foreigners gathered on Monday morning to see and listen to Oprah Winfrey.
Oprah Winfrey (59) jetted into South Africa to talk to South African women (and a few men) for her O Oprah Magazine South Africa's first ever South African O You event at Gallagher Estate.
She also paid South Africa a visit to launch her new O Club as well as her brand-new weekly OWN television programming block on Thursdays and Sundays on TLC Entertainment (DStv 172) on MultiChoice’s DStv, and to attend the graduating ceremony of the third matric class of glass to complete their high school career at her Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLA).
Ordinary women showed up together with more famous women like Morning Live’s presenter Leanne Manas, first lady Thobeka Zuma, the public protector Thuli Madonsela, broadcaster Redi Thlabi, Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele and business woman Basetsana Khumalo in the crowd.
They were enthralled as the media mogul entertained and educated through sharing life wisdom, witticisms and the countless humorous anecdotes which made her connect on such a personal level to millions of viewers around the world, and which helped to make her one of the richest women in the world.
"You are not your circumstances. You are your possibilities," said Oprah Winfrey to rapturous applause. "Be responsible for the energy you bring into the world."
"If you want your life to change instantly, start by being grateful for where you are right now," Oprah Winfrey said to uhm’s and aah’s as she asked people to live a life of service. "If you don’t know what to be grateful for, be grateful that you're still here. And the reason you're still here because you have more to do, more to live and more to be."
I asked Mampela Ramphele what she thought of Oprah Winfrey.
"Oprah Winfrey is an example of resilience; taking the initiative and believing in her dreams and chasing those dreams," Mampela Ramphele told TV with Thinus.
"Oprah is a great role model for young women all over the world. Oprah has done more than most with her success to share. I believe that South Africa is richer for Oprah having chosen to engage with South Africa."
Asked why her why she decided to attend today. Mamphela Ramphele told me: "I firmly believe we need hope in this country and Oprah symbolises hope. Oprah represent what hope can do in the most difficult of circumstances."
"We have a great country. We have great young people. What they need are great positive role models like Oprah. We have it in our hands to just like Oprah shape a future you believe in and to restore the dream of a great society."
