By By Ntozanele Libimbi
A number of women are discouraged about modelling because of the high beauty standards the industry creates. This is a shell that many women do not get out of. However, 25-year-old Tekani Ntimane managed to propel herself and become the brand ambassador for Mpumalanga in the Miss Eagle SA beauty competition.
She was born in Mpumalanga into a polygamous home where her late mother was the second wife. She finds her stepmother as the most influential person in her life.
“My dad and my mom passed away when I was still young, and my stepmom had to take care of all of us. She didn’t neglect us, instead she took us in and treated us like her biological children and all of us are educated and successful.”
She defines herself as a person with a purpose, a woman who thrives against all odds and goes for what she wants.
What has been your lowest moments in life?
I have always wanted to be in university but I didn’t put in all the work so I wasn’t satisfied with my matric results, as they couldn’t get me accepted at university so I had to rewrite my matric to be where I am today. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at that time and I ended up studying the wrong course but because I didn’t give up, I’m studying Industrial Engineering, which I love.
Is it relevant to have one crown, don’t you think all women participating in Miss Eagle deserve a crown?
No, there can only be one person who puts in all the time and effort to this competition so it’s fair to give the crown to the person who most deserves it and deserves the title “Queen”. We all have things to do but some people make this pageant a priority.
Do you think wearing swimsuits contribute to the negative way people view pageants?
Yes, because people look at a person’s body shape; some people think you are marketing yourself and that has discouraged women because they don’t feel beautiful and comfortable exposing themselves to people.
What has been your problem about joining the industry?
At first, I was nervous about joining this pageant, but I saw the emphasis on women empowerment that encouraged me to join so that I can empower people. Also because I have always loved modelling but my fear was that I am too short, so having a pageant that takes women of all shapes, size and height is allowing me to pursue my passion.
She wants to take all the knowledge she has acquired back to Mpumalanga, she wants to provide career expo’s and offer tutoring to lead students into the right path: a path that she figured on her own. Selfless model Tekani already feels like a winner by giving back to the community through the pageant.
She is competing with other brand ambassadors from different provinces. All with hopes of being crowned Queen on the 15th of December at Sandton Convention Centre.
(All photos were supplied. Contact Ntozanele Libimbi: libimbizane@gmail.com)
Youth Chronicle 