Model and BCom Law student, Naledi Matlakala. Picture: Supplied
Beauty queen Naledi Matlakala is the second Miss SA contestant to be eliminated from this year’s season of Crown Chasers, which premiered on 29 June on S3.
The 24-year-old BCom Law student said her Miss South Africa journey was transformative.
She added: “It wasn’t always comfortable or easy, but the growth was immense. It was a wild ride, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of the process.”
Speaking about the show, Matlakala described Crown Chasers as a unique aspect of the Miss SA search.
“I’d often joke to the other contestants that this crown really is a chase. It needs stamina, breath control and energy, just like one would need in an actual chase or marathon.
“I loved Crown Chasers HQ so much, from the glam squad in the glam room to all the creatives involved in the show who I grew to adore so much!”
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The model said the best parts of her journey on the show included the Top 30 and Top 25 judging rounds.
She added: “And the liberation I felt in meeting the judges and expressing myself to them. Also, leading my team to victory as the team captain in the cooking challenge made me feel great about accessing my leadership skills and how it improved my morale within the competition precisely when I needed it.”
She said the worst experience was when she suffered an anxiety attack days ahead of Crown Chasers.
“The days following that experience – in such a pressured environment – were really tough,” she added.
Despite the challenges, Naledi said she would do it all over again.
“There is something about being audacious enough to go after your dreams that exposes you to qualities within yourself that you may not have known existed. This has encouraged me to be bold and embrace every ambition I dare to hold.”
The official Miss South Africa 2024 will be crowned at the SunBet Arena at Time Square, Pretoria, on 10 August 2024.
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