As part of the build-up to the upcoming Mr and Miss Ward 86 Beauty Pageant 2026, contestants took part in a community clean-up campaign at the Wag-‘n-Bietjie informal settlement in Lwandle on Thursday 16 July.
Ward 86 pageant aims to empower young people
The initiative aimed to give back to the community while educating residents about the importance of hygiene and keeping their surroundings clean.
Ward 86 Youth Committee member Asive Tofu described the clean-up as part of the pageant’s community awareness programme. He said the competition will be the first of its kind in the ward and organisers hope to make it an annual event.
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“There are 22 contestants taking part in the competition, of which 12 are men and 10 are women, with ages ranging from 15 to 22 years. We are creating a platform for aspiring models and beauty pageant contestants to showcase their talents,” he said.
Tofu said the organisers have introduced several programmes aligned with the objectives of the competition to empower the contestants.
Contestants benefit from three-day workshop
“We hosted a three-day workshop from Wednesday 1 July to Friday 3 July, where contestants received training in public speaking, career guidance and self-esteem development. We also held a clean-up campaign in Asanda Village on Monday, 13 July,” he said.
He added that the contestants will also participate in Mandela Day activities on Saturday 18 July by helping to paint Nomzamo High School.
Contestant describes pageant as a dream come true
One of the contestants, Siphosihle Nodada (17), said it is his first time participating in a beauty pageant and that it is a dream come true.
“I enjoy modelling. It is something I have always wanted to do. My rolemodel is Avuyile Mantshingilani from Strand. I grew up looking up to him,” said Nodada.
Councillor applauds youth initiative
Ward 86 councillor Xolani Diniso praised the youth for their vision and commitment to making a positive impact in the community. “I support anything that contributes to the development of our young people and helps change their lives for the better. What I want to see is positive change in our community. This is a great initiative and it deserves the support of the entire community,” said Diniso.
