Mankoana Nhlebela, a resident of North Riding is not your typical beauty pageant finalist.
Nhlebela, a Mrs South Africa finalist, said,
“Live your best life. If success is not on your terms, if it feels good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not a success at all.”
She hopes to inspire women to live their best lives and to remind them that whether they are wives or mothers, it’s never too late to strive for their dreams and aspirations.
She would also use the platform to network with more women and young girls in trying to find solutions to their daily problems, challenges and concerns, together.
“I would, however, not leave the boy-child behind for the mere fact that these young girls will likely in future find themselves as wives to these young boys that are often neglected,” added Nhlebela. A balance definitely needs to be created in this regard, she said.
The official charity for Mrs South Africa is the Cansa Association of South Africa. Having lost some family members to cancer and having also experienced a close encounter with cervical cancer, Nhlebela would like to engage and raise awareness about cancer, especially within the black community.
“I’d like to reiterate the message that cancer does not discriminate between race, gender, age or social class – so that people can start taking control of their lives and being more proactive in managing their health. Early detection can save lives and I’m living proof of that.”
Fun facts about Nhlebela:
- I am a die-hard Beyoncé fan. My little sisters still remind me of how I would force them to do Destiny’s Child harmonies so I could impersonate Beyoncé
- Although I enjoy fine cuisine, I have a very simple palate. My favourite dish is pap and scrambled eggs or pap and stew. I’m clearly a traditional Pedi girl
- I strongly believe in the power of the mind. I haven’t had flu since conditioning my mind in 2009, after experiencing terrible flu
- In my younger days, I unknowingly held the title, Barney the Purple Dinosaur, because growing up, my mom insisted we apply sunscreen to protect our skin from the sun but it always left a purple undertone on my skin
- I once held the title of Miss Polokwane Teen.
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