LIMPOPO – Limpopo’s own Shudufhadzo Musida was last week announced as one of the top 10 Miss South Africa finalists. For the first time in the history of the Miss South Africa pageant, the contestants who make the top three will represent the country at the world’s three most prestigious pageants.
Previously, the Miss South Africa Organisation sent a representative to both Miss Universe and Miss World, but will also now be fielding a candidate at Miss Supranational. In view of Women’s Month, Review is celebrating Musida as a true ambassador for the province. When she is not behind her books studying, or on the modelling ramp, she enjoys reading, singing and practices on the keyboard.
“I was in disbelief but also filled with so much excitement because I now have the opportunity to continue following my dream,”she said in her official interview as finalist. She said that since she started the Miss South Africa journey, she has learnt that her voice matters and that the things she thought were her weaknesses are actually her greatest strengths.
“My role models include Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Toni Morrison, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Gcuka and Amina J Mohammed.” She said she is passionate about mental health awareness, and the economic and educational empowerment of women and children, especially in disadvantaged communities. “In many disadvantaged and rural communities mental health is often overlooked and disregarded. As such, destigmatising mental health will be at the forefront of my social initiatives as it provides a healthy foundation for issues such as economic and educational empowerment to be tackled successfully. It is more important now than ever because of Covid-19 to check in on mental health, especially in the education sector with children having to adapt to so many changes in their daily lives, and more so in disadvantaged communities where poverty has been exacerbated.”
For the time being, before the pageant late in October, Musida plans to finish her postgraduate degree, so “I can just relax and enjoy it when it is pageant time”.
She described the platform about being about the empowerment of women and not only of the contestants, but of those who follow them too. “We are being mentored into becoming our best selves through this platform and following this journey”.
Asked what has carried her through the lockdown, she said her faith played an instrumental role. “There is a peace that surpasses all understanding that I have received through my faith. It reminded that I did not need big victories during this pandemic, but rather small ones. Through this kindness towards myself and the situation we are all in, the big victories had room to come into my life, because I chose positivity even when it felt as if there was none.”
The crowning will be screened on TV and streamed for an international audience on 24 October.
