Johannesburg-based Yonela Nyembenya (35) from Mqekezweni Locality in Mthatha, has been crowned Ms Africa Elite 2024 at the pageant’s finals held in Pretoria on March 23.
By winning the competition, Nyembenya will represent the African continent in the Ms Universe pageant, to be held in Spain in October.
She has described the win as a way of reinventing herself after she took a break from beauty pageants following her divorce.
“When I contested for the title of Ms Africa Elite 2024, I wanted to show people that I am still the same Yonela that was married, and prove to the people that the failure of my marriage did not mean that I no longer had it as a beauty pageant contender,” she said.
Nyembenya’s most notable achievements in beauty pageants, before the Ms Africa Elite win, were achieved while she was still married.
These include competing as a finalist in Mrs Africa Tourism Universe, and Mrs Face of Africa 2018 beauty pageants.
She says she is passionate about charity work, and competing in beauty pageants connects her with sponsors who then partner with her in various charitable initiatives.
Her plans include grooming girls from rural areas by hosting beauty pageants and coaching lessons in those areas.
“Young girls who want to compete in beauty pageants need to know that to make it in the industry is not about outside beauty and skin tone, but the beauty inside that makes one succeed,” she said.
Nyembenya has received various gifts from the pageant’s sponsors that include jewellery and cosmetics, as a reward for winning the Ms Africa Elite 2024 competition.
