Pink Table gave Durban’s women an afternoon to themselves

Getting dressed was clearly part of the pleasure. Pink dresses, bold sleeves, floral prints and carefully chosen accessories filled The Manor House Venue in Sheffield Beach, Ballito. The women came dressed to impress, and the photos would need more than one attempt.

Brutal Fruit Spritzer’s Pink Table returned to KZN on Saturday, 17 October, with Pamela Mtanga hosting an afternoon of music, pampering and time around the table. Friends arrived ready to make an occasion of it. Beneath the pink draping, the outfits competed with the setting.

Every guest received a non-alcoholic welcome drink on arrival. From there, there was time to find a seat, take in everyone’s looks and explore before settling into the programme.

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A section dedicated to L’Orange Rossa introduced guests to Brutal Fruit’s orange-flavoured spritzer. Elsewhere, women could have their make-up touched up or take a break for a complimentary massage from the Mangwanani therapists. An afternoon out with someone on hand to sort out tense shoulders and tired lipstick? A useful arrangement.

These were welcome little stops between photographs, conversations and trips back to the music. There was an affirmation garden to visit, too, carrying some of the day’s sentiments beyond the stage.

Simmy and DJ LeSoul were among the performers keeping guests on their feet. Women danced with their friends, enjoying themselves without appearing preoccupied by who might be watching. The outfits had received their photographs. Now they could move.

Away from the male gaze, there was a freedom to the dancing that felt particularly good to witness. Women could be expressive, playful and completely absorbed in a song without their enjoyment becoming an invitation.

The afternoon also felt safe. There was a sense that a phone could remain on the table without its owner repeatedly checking for it, and that the familiar anxiety about keeping a constant eye on a drink could ease. For women used to staying alert while trying to have a good time, that feeling made a difference.

It gave particular weight to a moment led by Mtanga.

“I walk in power.”

“I walk in confidence.”

“I deserve to be safe.”

From the stage, she introduced a manifesto she announced was a first for the Pink Table, beginning in Durban. The women repeated the words back, affirming their worth and their right to take up space.

There was something beautiful about hearing those declarations spoken together. They addressed the doubts that can follow women into their workplaces, relationships, and everyday lives, even when they appear perfectly confident to everyone else.

The manifesto allowed for more than one version of being powerful. Women could be soft and still call the shots. They could be fabulous and still expect to be taken seriously. And there was room for a little swagger.

“I am a baddie.”

That line belonged there, too.

Speaking to Time Out Durban afterwards, Mtanga explained why she wanted guests to say the affirmations aloud.

“Just reminding the ladies how they’re supposed to feel and how they’re allowed to feel, and they don’t need permission for that; it’s so important to us,” she said.

“Hearing them repeat it, it’s also about believing it.”

Her explanation made sense of the moment. The women were participating in something they could apply to themselves, with the voices around them offering encouragement.

Originally from PE, Mtanga spoke warmly about Durban audiences, describing a familiar coastal spirit and an openness that reminded her of home. She seemed comfortable with the crowd, moving between humour and more personal subjects without making the afternoon feel like a seminar.

For Brutal Fruit brand director Candice van den Bosch, the decision to return to KZN reflected the support the brand receives here, as well as the city’s fashion, music and culture.

“There’s a very special energy in Durban,” she told Time Out Durban.

Van den Bosch described three priorities behind the gathering: bringing people together, making a familiar experience feel special and helping women feel that they belong. She wanted guests to be comfortable in their own skin and leave having made friends.

“We want to be very intentional about creating connection,” she said.

Around the tables and on the dance floor, there was plenty of opportunity for that. The programme gave women things to do together, while leaving room to enjoy the company they had come with.

There would be photographs to post afterwards, and good outfits deserving another outing. But Mtanga’s manifesto was worth remembering in its own right.

“I can take up space,” the women repeated.

“Because I have earned it.”