Aspire to inspire

HAVING had to move from place to place with her mother during her upbringing, Mrs Royal International Pageant hopeful, Nomthandazo Mbokazi, is shining the light for other women to value their worth. Mbokazi, from Pinetown, is the semi-finalist in the 2022 beauty pageant.

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She said her journey has been full of ups and downs. “Moving around wasn’t easy, however, there is always a lesson to gain from living in different environments. Struggling drove me to work hard because I hate being in need. I currently reside in Mexico City because I am married to a diplomat, Ambassador Dennis Thokozani Dlomo. He is the South African ambassador for Mexico and six other countries. It is important not to bury your dreams. Being married does not mean you are no longer an individual. I have always believed I was meant to do great things. It all begins by loving yourself, ensuring that you look good and making sure you protect your peace,” she said.

She said sometimes life may be cruel to people, but things do come together eventually. “Hard work, resilience, humility and patience pay off. I have served a lot during my career, and now I serve my country, South Africa. I represent my country as one of the board members in ACD, an organisation for spouses of diplomats. Your background does not determine where you will end up. I will use the opportunity to advocate for gender-based violence and femicide programmes. I will also use it to promote South Africa because in spite of all our problems, it is still a beautiful and unique country,” said Mbokazi.

The 42-year-old Pinetown woman, born at Poly Clinic in KwaMashu, said she aspires to empower other women who look down upon themselves because of social ills they have been exposed to.
“My mother was a teacher, and what motivated me most is the fact that at her age, she was brave enough to further her studies, and she got to where she is now. I had to move with her each time she moved. My upbringing included staying in Inanda, KwaMashu F-section, Umlazi-E and CC-sections, Golokodo, Asherville, Greenwood Park and Pinetown,” she said.

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Mbokazi matriculated at Effingham Secondary in 1998 and acquired her Diploma in Public Relations and Events Management from Varsity College in Durban in 1999, a Diploma in Office Technology in 2001, and other diplomas in various fields and different colleges. She is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with UNISA.

Mbokazi started out as an administrator. In 2005, she joined the Independent Development Trust (IDT) in the KZN region as a project officer. The job saw her being intensively involved in community development which made her grow as a person. She was with IDT for four years. “In 2007, I formed Madam-Thando CC which focused on preparing young women and coordinating events, and in 2009, I joined Mirror PR and Events and worked as an Executive Personal Assistant and Special Projects Manager to the CEO,” she said.

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