A young woman who spent part of her childhood growing up in Zwelethemba has reached the top 12 of Miss SA 2023.
In 2020 Nande Mabala (25) also entered the competition but didn’t make it, yet that did not deter her from going after it again.
“I got the ‘we unfortunately . . .’ SMS, but my heart was still on representation. I still wanted to come back and use this platform to empower people in my community and young women in South Africa as a whole.
“So I knew my time had not come yet, and it was up to me to go back and go and get it.”
Being a part of this pageant is something Mabala has always wanted since she saw Rolene Strauss win Miss World in 2014.
And when she recently reached the top 12 she was in disbelief.
“It has been so validating. I’m proud of myself. I’m honoured to have been given this opportunity and I’ve seen the ripple effect of it what its done for my community. It’s given them so much joy and they’ve been so supportive and it has done exactly what I thought it would. It has empowered and inspired young people in my community.”
Hearing the top 12 announcement had Mabala’s emotions all over the place.
“I was very happy, overjoyed,” she explained with a giggle.
“It just felt as if all my dreams had come true. The only thing I could do was cover my mouth because I was still in shock.”
She is currently working as a full-time model and previously worked in recruitment for a year and also worked in sales for five years. Mabala is also a triple-major BA Arts graduate, a philanthropist and micro-influencer.
Although no longer living in Zwelethemba she will still carry its torch high, “because that’s where the people who raised me come from, and with that I mean my community.
When you’re a child playing in the street everyone raises you. My mother left me with our neighbour sometimes and she also raised me; they were the ones who sowed the right seeds in me.”
Should she win Miss SA 2023 Mabala would love to teach others about self-mastery, leadership and self-love.
“I would like to start a project where we teach young women leadership, self-mastery and self-love. I think visibility and representation are very much confused. Representation is seeing someone who looks like you, whereas visibility is seeing someone who looks like me yet I feel that what I see is attainable for me. But teaching young women these empowering skills will enable them to go forth and understand their strengths and use these to cultivate a life they want to have.”
Her future plans include continuing to model and becoming a philanthropist and sowing into others.
“I see myself changing the trajectory of lives of young women in townships, so townships will be a place where world leaders come from – to change the narrative of a young person in a township.”
Mabala also gushes that it has been amazing being part of the competition so far.
“ I’ve met some people who have empowered me. I have come to know myself more, and I never knew the power of understanding one’s weaknesses; I’ve understood my weaknesses and I’ve used that to help me. I haven’t allowed them to be to my detriment. I have grown as a woman, as a person and have got to know myself better.”
For young girls from small communities with big dreams she says: “To young girls and women from smaller communities I want to say your circumstances do not determine who you are.
“That little voice inside of you, listen to it, it will be your navigator. Even when you are overcome by your circumstances or tribulations, listen.
“Do your best where you are at. You have to be a master of where you are at right now. Focus on doing well at school, focus on cultivating the thing that you know you are good at.”
