A shy but bold girl eyes Miss Bachelorette crown

Tshoanelo Shaku, one of the 11 Miss Bachelorette South Africa 2021 finalists. Picture: Supplied

Tshoanelo Shaku, one of the 11 Miss Bachelorette South Africa 2021 finalists. Picture: Supplied

Published Apr 9, 2021

Share

Pretoria - Tshoanelo Shaku, one of the 11 Miss Bachelorette South Africa 2021 finalists, grew up as a shy but bold girl.

Like many girls born and raised in rural areas, she didn’t think she had what it took to be a model.

While flipping through fashion magazines one day at her home village of Ga-Nchabeleng in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, Shaku was fascinated by the pictures of the various models.

Her fascination quickly turned into interest in beauty pageants.

However, despite dreaming of competing on the big stages, her confidence still failed her.

Shaku, a professional nurse at Dr CN Phatudi Hospital in Sekhukhune, later regained her confidence and entered the Miss DR CN Phatudi in 2019 and won.

“I got fascinated by fashion models and wished to be like them but I felt like I didn’t have what it took to become a model. But the love was re-ignited in 2016 when Ntandoyenkosi Kunene was crowned Miss SA. She somehow inspired me, then I started looking for modelling agencies and followed modelling pages until I came across Miss Bachelorette SA (MBSA) on Instagram. I researched it and felt it is exactly what I have been looking for all along,” Shaku said.

Although she is not new to catwalk, Shaku says it’s the first time she is competing at an event as big and glamorous as the MBSA.

The 29 year-old says the pageant is representative of her.

“The MBSA pageant fits my purpose because it aims at empowering women who are often overlooked by society, mostly unmarried women. It made me realise that it’s not wrong to be married or not married, and so I saw an opportunity to serve as a role model to women and young girls.”

Like many beauty queens, modelling is not the only thing Shaku is preoccupied with.

“I co-founded a community development organisation in 2012 where our main aim was to create a network for academic excellence. We went to the school during holidays and offer motivation and lessons in subjects we understood better. I also took part in an anti-drug organisation where I did public speaking.”

Shaku obtained her diploma in nursing from Unisa in 2014, specialising in psychiatry and midwifery. She also graduated with a BA degree in Nursing Management and Education last year.

She describes herself as a church-going girl who loves public speaking and leadership development.

The Sunday school teacher says being crowned MBSA 2021 would make her parents proud. She would prioritise the empowerment of young girls during her reign.

The Miss Bachelorette event was created in 2019 by former Miss SA finalist, Refilwe Mogale, for mature women between the ages 25 and 50 who are unmarried, with or without children.

Eleven finalists will be competing tomorrow for the crown and R100 000 cash prize. But due to Covid-19 regulations, no tickets will be sold.

Fans can go to the link on the Miss Bachelorette South Africa social media pages bio.

Instagram: missbachelorettesa, Facebook: Missbachelorette SouthAfrica

Pretoria News

Related Topics: