Iphayona kusukela ekuqaleni, uVelisiwe Mary Mkhwanazi, wazama ukubhekana nezimo waphonsela inselelo yengcindezelo eyayikhona. Wazalwa ngonyaka ka-1932, emaphandleni aseMbongolwane, KwaZulu-Natal, uVelisiwe waqeda izifundo zakhe zamabanga aphansi kalula futhi wadlulela esikoleni samabanga aphakeme, okuyivelakancane ngesikhathi lapho imfundo ejwayelekile yesibili yathathwa njenge yanele.
Ngo-1960 wathuthela eThekwini. Kulapha, emsebenzini wakhe omusha, lapho abona khona amandla obushoshovu. Engathokozile ngomatilasi abolile anikezwe wona futhi azi ngobuningi bemibhede eyenele endlini yomqashi wakhe, wafuna ukwelashwa okungcono yena nabanye abasebenzi. Lesi sehlakalo samenza wabona ukuthi kungaxoxiswana ngezinguquko esimweni sakhe, kepha ukuthi ukuxoxisana okunjalo kwakuxhomeke ekuphikiseni kwakhe ingcindezelo kwasekuqaleni.
Kwakungenxa yokulwela kwakhe amalungelo akhe ayisisekelo njengomsebenzi wasendlini lapho avula khona indlela yokuthi nabanye bathole ithuba lokuthola ubulungiswa. Ngo-1980 uMkhwanazi waqhubeka nokuhola i-South African Domestic Workers ‘Association (SADWA). Imisebenzi ye-SADWA yagcina iholele ekusungulweni kwe-South African Domestic Workers ‘Union (SADWU) ngo-1986. Inhloso yabo yafezekiswa ngonyaka ka-1997, lapho ukwamukelwa ngokusemthethweni kwezisebenzi zasendlini njengezisebenzi kwaqinisekiswa ngokusemthethweni.
Ngo-2009, Isikhungo se-Legal Resources Centre | Securing Livelihoods Using the Law, okuyinhlangano ezimele yamalungelo abantu eNingizimu Afrika, ihloniphe uVilisiwe ngokuphumelala nangokuba iqhawe kwakhe. I-LRC isebenzisa umthetho njengethuluzi lezobulungiswa kulabo abasengozini nababandlululwa, kufaka phakathi abantu abampofu, abangenamakhaya, nabangenamhlaba kanye nemiphakathi ehlushwa ukubandlululwa ngenxa yobuhlanga, isigaba, ubulili, ukukhubazeka noma ngenxa yezimo zenhlalo, ezomnotho nezomlando . Ngo-2013, wathola i-EThekwini Living Legend Award.
UVilisiwe Mkhwanazi, unikele ngaphezu kweminyaka engu-50 yempilo yakhe kumalungelo abantu nentando yeningi. Uhlonishwe yi-Steve Biko Foundation kanye ne-Legal Resources Centre ngokuzinikela kwakhe ekukhululekeni nasekulinganeni. Usengumeluleki nomeluleki wohlu lochwepheshe futhi usebenza njengelungu lophiko lomakadebona lwe-ANC. Ubuye futhi abe yilungu le-Women Ordination South Africa.