Most women will scream “women empowerment” but be the first to crush others for trying.
It was disappointing, to say the least, seeing Miss South Africa 2023 hopefuls get such mean energy.
What’s even worse is that the nasty comments came from women. Not so long ago, they wanted the Miss South Africa platform to be inclusive, and now that it’s happening, they (the public) are bashing the same women who dare to make a change.
What happened to ubuntu? Just because someone doesn’t have a British accent or does not look like the girls we see in magazines doesn’t mean they are incapable of leading. The Miss SA platform is about working with women eager to bring change to the community. It’s not all about beauty.
The women who entered for Miss SA 2023 are brave. Most of them are already doing charity work in their respective communities. And for them to be judged by those who have never set foot on a public platform like that is disgraceful.
Tshifhiwa Mammburu is one of the ladies who got the most hate because of her entry video. She said she wanted to encourage women to be financially independent because with most GBV cases, victims find it harder to leave when the abuser is the sole provider.
Its time as women we face our power and embrace our future#MissSA2023@Official_MissSA pic.twitter.com/9vHjWIZ911
— Tshifhiwa Mammburu (@TshifhiwaMammb5) May 1, 2023
Twitter bullies shamed her, saying she “stands no chance” of being the next Miss South Africa, but they were called to order.
“I thought we all knew that being fully financially dependent on someone makes it that much harder to leave should they become abusive, the way she phrased it may not have been the best, but this is something we have spoken about and acknowledged before. Why is she being cooked?” asked @MphoMoalamedi.
And yes, while we agree that she needs to work on her public speaking skills, there is a constructive way to criticise her instead of being nasty.
Twitter user: @ZwolugazwotheD was one of the people who offered constructive criticism instead of shaming Mammburu.
She said: “But she is right though, most women out there get abused in marriages & relationships because their financial situation doesn't allow them to escape. She ends up sitting with an abusive man for her children's sake. This girl is fine, just her delivery needs improvement.”
Another user, @Ketso28, said: “Although this was poorly phrased, there is a grain of truth in what she said. She does not place blame on the victim; rather, she emphasises how financial reliance may be a factor in why most women continue to remain in abusive relationships.”
But then again, whether you do good or bad, people will always talk. The Miss SA 2023 hopefuls can learn a thing or two from former Miss SA Lalela Mswane. During her reign, people had a lot of negative things to say about her but she didn’t listen to the noise. Instead, she held her head high and followed her dreams. Because of her resilience, she was crowned Miss Supranational 2022 and was second-runner up at Miss Universe 2021.
Entries for Miss South Africa 2023 closed today at 11am. Good luck to those who entered.
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