‘Beauty with a bang’: SANDF Lieutenant Colonel a Mrs SA semifinalist

Camelia Grobler’s beauty pageant journey started at the beginning of February this year when she was named as one of the Mrs SA semifinalists during the pageant’s National Public Casting, held at Clearwater Mall in Randburg.

A Lieutenant Colonel in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Grobler says she wants to break all stereotypes of women in uniform and show everyone that you can have a career in the military, and still play dress-up and be the lady you were raised to be.

Much more to life than being a soldier, wife and mom

Grobler says she decided to enter the Mrs South Africa pageant as she wants to represent all the women in uniform to show them it is ok to follow your dreams.

“Through the military I have had the opportunity to connect with various stakeholders on different platforms. It’s all about leaving a legacy and an impact on those that you have interacted with. I have had the opportunity to brand myself in such a way that I am able to motivate others to do the same and to believe in their dreams. Through the Mrs South Africa platform, I will be able to inspire and motivate even more ladies to brand themselves in such a way that you leave a legacy.

“Life is not just about having a pretty face, having a successful career as a soldier warrior woman, being a wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend, but it is how you present yourself to others while feeling confident in your skin doing so,” she says.

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Top 30 Mrs South Africa finalists to be announced in July

Dallmayr Mrs South Africa is more than just a beauty pageant, it’s also a women empowerment programme designed to unleash participants’ hidden potential by teaching them valuable skills such as leadership, financial competence, sponsorship management, communication, personal branding and media management.

“The goal is to take women out of their comfort zones and have them rethink who they are and what they want out of life. We help them face their fears, find their purpose, and discover the strength and abilities they held inside all along,” explains Joani Johnson, CEO of Mrs South Africa.

Johnson says Mrs South Africa 2024 received the most entries this year, beginning in November and persisting into the week leading up to the National Public Casting.

“This is truly a life transformation journey that seeks to give our contestants the tools, knowledge and support they need to pursue their dreams, and guide them in realising their full potential as forces for good,” Johnson says.

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