Pretoria - Janine Nieklassen has set her eyes on the R100 000 prize money, which is up for grabs at the second annual Miss Bachelorette competition to be held in Polokwane next week.
Nieklassen, born and raised in Northern Cape’s capital Kimberley, will be competing with 10 others in the glamorous competition.
The pageant, held for the first time in 2019, is a first of its kind, and is meant to empower unmarried South African women between the ages of 25 and 50.
“I am a mother of three; I am kind, passionate at many things; I love looking good at most times,” the 33-year-old said.
She has always wanted to enter competitions such as this one.
“People around me always made me aware of my personality from a very young age, so they always convinced me to enter completions such as this, but my mom could never afford to enrol me in a modelling school.”
Some of the previous competitions she has participated in include (contests by) a hair product company and Mej Gariepfees in 2003, Matrieknooi in 2005 and Miss SA 2007.
“This is my first proper pageant, and it makes me want to fight for the beauty industry to get funding. Many pageants across the country adopted charities, and are doing the most.
“I want to be the voice for the voiceless, have kids and not married, have a career and not have children – society gives us names and labels.
“I would be a queen to the unmarried, independent ladies, and create a bigger sisterhood, most importantly. I will teach self-love over and over. Teach communities to hold hands as women and pray for each other instead of labelling each other.”
Nieklassen also wears many caps.
After doing a few courses at various institutions in Kimberley, she received her Bachelor of Education foundation phase qualification.
She is founder of Mostert Saadtjie Beginsels, which is the mother company to a smaller company where she styles and dresses women who want to have a new look.
“I am also the vice-chairperson for Kitovu, a non-profit company that deals with the needs of the boy child in society.
“In a world where we constantly see gender-based violence, statistics show that men are the reason for imbalances. We as Kitovu try to take one step at a time to curb that mentality.”
Nieklassen is the eldest of three children: “Being the eldest, I had to take care of my siblings most of the time, which instilled caring for others at a young age. I had a fun-packed childhood, growing up on a farm was one of the most precious experiences ever.”
She said she enjoyed cooking, taking long walks and meditating.
If she would be a world leader Nieklassen said she would relook at the education structures and change them.
“I would implement real life subjects, helping learners to become better leaders, help them with financial, mental and healthy body choices,” she said.
Pretoria News