Her Khaltsha

Freedom takes shape on wheels in Khayelitsha, where a group of young girls come together as Khaltsha Cycling Academy, the first all-girls cycling collective, building a powerful sisterhood while challenging stigma, reclaiming public spaces, and redefining what is possible in their community. Through intimate interviews, Her Khaltsha follows their journeys as cyclists navigating a world shaped by inequality, crime, and deeply rooted gender expectations. For these riders, cycling becomes a means of self-expression, therapy, and escape, offering mental clarity, joy, and release from daily pressure. Against fears of harassment, theft, and dangers faced by women in South Africa, they confront the belief that “bikes are for boys.” Stories of hope, independence, and determination unfold as they dream beyond their circumstances toward professional cycling, travel, and futures shaped by choice. Balancing vulnerability with determination, Her Khaltsha captures courage, connection, and community, as young women unapologetically carve out space for themselves, on the road and in the world.