I want to be president of South Africa in 2044”, declared Thulani Ndzotyana, 19, after she was crowned Miss Mamelodi Sundowns 2018/2019 on Saturday night.
“To me, a female president marks a success in a world still plagued by gender discrimination. I know it might seem like an unreachable dream, but you know what they say the sky’s the limit. Anything is possible in this world,” said the beauty from the Eastern Cape.
Ndzotyana proved that anything was indeed possible by being the youngest finalist to snatch the title, taking over from 2016/17 winner Sharon-Rose Khumalo. First princess is Thato Mosehle from the Free State and second princess is Mosiah Tau from Limpopo.
Patrice Motsepe with wife, Precious Motsepe. Picture: Thobile Mathonsi.
Judges, including radio and television personality Bonang Matheba, songstress Nandi Mngoma and Miss SA Adé van Heerden lit up every time Ndzotyana graced the stage.
Asked how she was going to use her platform as Miss Mamelodi Sundowns, she replied: “I’m going to encourage children, especially the girl child, to talk about their dreams and be unapologetic about their uniqueness.”
She said women needed to surge forward, not only on the political front, but also in social life, where they acted as agents of change and contributed to economic development as well. But first they needed to understand what empowerment of women really meant in order to realise its impact. “Empowerment is about becoming stronger and confident,” said the second-year BCom student at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
“Today, we know it is the key to economic growth, political stability and social transformation. World leaders, experts and scholars alike are giving their voice to this.”
Miss Memelodi Sundows, Thulani Ndzotyana. Picture: Thobile Mathonsi.
Ndzotyana and 17 other finalists from around the country battled it out on the catwalk at the Theatre on the Track in Kyalami.
One by one they showed their elegance, battling it out for the ultimate prize of R200000 and a new Hyundai i20 car.
Fans sang during the night; team players, head coach Pitso Mosimane and club boss Patrice Motsepe attended the glittering ceremony. Also in attendance was Minister of Public Works Faith Muthambi. The jovial crowd was entertained by rapper Emtee and pop star Shekhinah.
The Miss Mamelodi Sundowns pageant was first held in 2010, and today has become one of the most coveted titles in South Africa.
Born from a desire to empower women through a platform usually dominated by men, Miss Mamelodi Sundowns is one of the football club's community support initiatives and focuses on empowering women.