SA-born Jeanette Akua in Miss Universe for Great Britain

Crowning a new Miss Universe after the long reign of SA’s Zozibini Tunzi is drawing near and one of the competitors is South African-born.

Jeanette Akua was born in Johannesburg, her family is Xhosa and she was crowned Miss Universe Great Britain last week.

Akua has been living in Britain for several years. The Miss Universe contest takes place on 16 May in Florida, USA, after organisers delayed the pageant due to the pandemic. Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe in December 2019, making her reign one of the longest ever.

Miss SA 2020 second runner-up Natasha Joubert will be representing the country in the Miss Universe pageant and not Miss SA winner Shudufhadzo Musiḓa.

ALSO READ: Mzansi reacts to Shudu taking on Miss World instead of Miss Universe

Akua was announced the winner, virtually, by reigning Miss GB Emma Jenkins. When asked how she felt, she said she felt “so full.”

An economics business developer manager with a masters degree in international economics, Akua lives in London and looks  forward to wearing the sash.

“What I am most looking forward to is getting to wear the Great Britain sash on my chest. It means so much more. I have been telling people about pageantry, it is so much more than beauty, it’s about getting a platform to amplify your message and I am so excited that I get to elevate that on a global stage.

“It’s about being audacious and having the nerve to pursue your dreams. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway. ”

Not just beauty and brains, Akua can sing too. She has her own YouTube channel in which she does renditions of popular hit songs. Her latest musical track is an original, You Will See Me Fly. 

Akua auditioned for X Factor singing competition in 2013, when she revealed to the judges she is a Xhosa woman and speaks it fluently, calling it the “click language”.

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