Miss SA finalist zip-lines to victory
FOURWAYS - Amid scaly crocodiles and snakes, Miss SA finalist Gugulethu Banda brought some beauty and class to Croc City on 26 January.
At just 21 years old, Banda has secured her place in the country’s beauty pageant scene. At a young age she knew she wanted to compete in the pageant; it did not occur to her that she’d be a finalist in the competition.
“This is a dream come true for me. I started really small in the pageantry world with small pageants here and there, but being a finalist is such an honour,” she said.
She is not only currently completing a degree in tourism development at the University of Johannesburg, but is also an animal lover and loves doing anything outdoors.
“Being around animals makes me happy, I love doing anything nature based,” she added. Banda had the opportunity to take on the park’s infamous zip-line which passes through three pools full of crocodiles.
“I am totally freaked out, but I am so excited,” said Banda. She explained that preparing for the finals is not for the faint-hearted, hours-on-end at the gym, question and answer periods, public speaking and being in a room full of different personalities is a challenge.
She believes the title of Miss SA is embodied with responsibility. If she won, she will be proud to take on the role of being an ambassador for the country. “If I won, I would be so happy. I want to bring real changes to the country, I know everyone says that, but I really want to tackle the education aspect of our country,” she said.
Banda stressed that she loves working with children and she wants to develop an education system where younger pupils can learn and be taught by older students. She believes the system will empower the youth to take on more responsibility.
