Local beauty brings home coveted Mrs Africa title

Local beauty, Janine Pretorius now proudly boasts the title of Mrs Africa 2022.

The 32-year-old Janine was crowned Mrs Africa on October 30 at the Glen Afrique Country Lodge in Hartbeespoort. The crowning followed a pageant week which started on October 26.

Janine received the award for best public speaker and best contestant gift, and congeniality awards during the week. The contestants also took part in different themed photo shoots, went on several outings and even learned some life-saving techniques.

Janine is the owner of a photography company, the mother of a six-year-old and wife to Johan Pretorius.

“Ever since I met another West Rand resident who was crowned Mrs Africa in 2018 it was one of my biggest dreams to enter Mrs Africa. I followed her journey all the way and saw the difference she had made in our community. I wanted to do the same,” she said.

When she entered the pageant at the beginning of 2020 she did not know what the world would be like during her journey as a finalist. The pageant was first postponed to February 2021, but due to another Covid-19 restriction Africa Pageants CEO Carolyn Botha could not host the finalists for a pageant week.

In June this year they received the final dates for their pageant week.

“My journey as a Mrs Africa finalist can only be described as a life-changing experience. It was difficult at times, especially during a pandemic.”

It was especially difficult to get sponsors due the financial state of the country but she still managed to raise funds for her various charities and projects.

“Whenever I wanted to give up, something would happen and that would push me forward on my journey.”

Apart from being crowned Mrs Africa, her biggest achievement was her Shoot for a Cause campaign, which she will continue doing. She did professional photo shoots of people and they would get 30 images of the shoot. Their only payment would be a bag of clothing for each person featured in the shoot.

If you are interested in the photo shoot, check out her Mrs Africa page. She plans on registering her non-profit organisation during her reign as Mrs Africa.

“I have already started collecting cameras for this cause, and have sponsored these cameras to three underprivileged girls in our community.”

She is teaching these girls how to use their new cameras and how to start their own businesses. She wants to create opportunities for young girls in the community so that they do not have to rely on other forms of income.

“We live in a world of opportunities; it is up to us to grab those opportunities and make something of them.”