Mrs SA semi-finalist: ‘We need a safe house for women and children’
Since she lost a close family member in a tragic gender-based violence incident in 2020, a safe house for women and children victims of gender-based violence has been the heart's desire of Mrs SA semi-finalist Madikgoele Lobaka. She wants to name the facility "Omolemo" (you are valuable, you matter), in honour of the one-year-old Omolemo, who paid with his life during the incident, Madikgoele says.
Madikgoele was born and raised in Tumahole, Parys. As a young girl, she followed beauty pageants with a keen interest and dreamt of the Mrs SA crown. “But life happened,” says Modikgoele, who married her loving husband Tebogo in 2018.
Family life, being a mom to three children and the wife of a pastor, keeps her busy. But in between working full-time as a social worker at the Department of Social Development in Parys, she is also doing her Master’s in Social Work at Unisa.
In 2021, Madikgoele’s life was turned upside down by the death of her mom due to Co-vid-19. “My mom was my biggest supporter and meant the whole world to me. I became depressed and stopped dreaming. Until one day, I looked at my children playing and asked myself if I really wanted to be a mom that is depressed. I knew it was time for me to wake up. I had to do something for myself; I still had so much to achieve.”
When she mentioned the Mrs SA competition to her husband, saying maybe it was worth a try, he was the one to ensure her online entry was submitted in time. “He is my biggest supporter,” says a proud Madikgoele.
By the end of 2022, she heard she was invited for the Mrs SA semi-finalist interviews early in February. She now is among the 110 semi-finalists elected, only five of whom are from the Free State province.
The crowning of Mrs SA is all about empo- wering women, says Madikgoele, explaining that all semi-finalists attend workshops on valuable life skills.
“I want to become the better version of myself,” she says. She believes that a strong support system and ensuring that work and family time do not interfere help keep her focused.
The final judging is in July, with the crowning function in November.
The Parys community can vote for Madikgoele now, either on Facebook or Instagram, by liking the Mrs SA Page. Look for Madikgoele’s photo, like the photo and share it. Remember, you have to go to the Mrs SA page. People can also vote via SMS to the number 47587 at a cost of R3 per SMS. Free SMSes do not apply.
