New Miss Township SA to inspire kids on West Rand
Ikgopoleng Komane who was born and bred in Kagiso can now add the Miss Township SA 2023 title to her pageant cabinet.
Born and bred in Kagiso and now a resident in the small mining township of Slovoville, Ikgopoleng Komane, 28, was recently crowned Miss Township South Africa 2023.
Miss Township South Africa, as Ikgopoleng explained, is not only a pageant but an empowerment programme that presents real transformation and sustainable development for women with dreams of community development and the tackling of societal issues.
She added the programme sees women from different backgrounds come in as rough diamonds and through life coaching, charity work, entrepreneurial development, and different media engagement, come out polished and ready to take on a purpose.
Ikgopoleng’s purpose is to inspire children on the West Rand as they face many challenges which include unemployment (poverty) that may lead to gangsterism, violence and drug abuse.
“I plan to use the title and inspire kids in the district by showing them that all things are possible for those that believe. To inspire them to get up and actively fight for a better life, fight for their dreams, and find ways where there seems to be no way. I use pageantry to meet influential people and people who have helped me reach certain goals in my life. Use what you have to take you where you need to go.”
As project coordinator in the entrepreneurial space, Ikgopoleng is looking to make a difference saying, “Entrepreneurship has been an avenue I used to escape the clutches of poverty and it got me a bursary with the Raymond Ackerman Academy at the University of Johannesburg. My entrepreneurial shenanigans began in primary school as I sold answers and made jewellery out of potato chip bags and sold it to my peers. Now had that entrepreneurial spirit been developed at that young age perhaps the path of life would’ve been different. I, therefore, am looking to introduce entrepreneurial development in school, Pre and post-entrepreneurship day. This programme offers a place of belonging while teaching them money-making skills.”
Ikgopoleng can now add the Miss Township SA 2023 title to her pageant cabinet which also includes Miss Kagiso 2017 and Face of Gauteng Radio 1st Princess 2021.
“I was inspired to enter Miss Township South Africa as I was following the pageant and saw the actual impact it had on all the contestants. The young women had so much zeal for their advocacy and I said ‘this pageant represents me’. I have the desire to expand the impact I had in my small circle to South Africa and be the representation of the dreams, values and tenacity of the young girls in the township,” she concluded.
