Local beauty wins Miss National South Africa beauty pageant for Gauteng

In June of last year, the Northcliff Melville Times interviewed Nkhensani Makwakwa, a Roosevelt High School learner who was competing in the Miss National South Africa pageant.

Not only is she blessed with obvious good looks but she has a heart of gold too.

Below she writes about what she has been up to after she won the prestigious competition.

In this picture, I had just been crowned Miss National South Africa winner for Gauteng in the Charity division in Durban. It was such a happy moment.

I have continued my work that tries to help others who are struggling with mental health problems and am busy writing a book on this topic. I hope to continue to raise awareness about mental health by normalising the struggle so many people face.

Many people have mental health issues but don’t know how to reach out for support and help if they are depressed, have anxiety, insomnia, and things like that.

My book is more a collection of poems than a self-help book. It will be a poem a day for readers to go through as they learn to love themselves and how to face their fears.

I went through a phase of depression and anxiety myself which is how I learned about coping mechanisms that I want to share with others. It is for people who maybe cannot afford to go to therapy or are too scared to have that conversation.

I have also entered another pageant which will take place in June, Miss Teen World, South Africa. I am practicing a lot for this competition. I hope these platforms will enable me to reach more people who are struggling.

I am continuing with my volunteer work in old age homes and orphanages where I do community service by spending time with people who are struggling. I also visit schools where I hand out sanitary products to girls who have difficulty affording these essential products.

So, life is good at the moment and I look forward to what this year holds for me.