She was crowned recently at the Meropa Casino in Polokwane outshining her fellow contestants. She told the Herald that her focus during her reign will be empowering women by educating them on being good ambassadors in their communities. “I know my year is going to be busy, but I am excited to work with underprivileged communities in conjunction with local municipalities.”

She says last year was a big year for her as she joined Jacaranda FM after winning a presenter search competition. She was also a semi-finalist in two more pageants, the Mrs South Africa and Mrs Global Earth SA. Although she did not reach the finals, she says she learned a lot about herself and built good relationships with the other contestants.

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She believes that pageants are still relevant as they create a platform that empowers girls and women to be independent. She originally hails from Giyani, but she grew up in Modjadjiskloof and went to Modubatse Secondary School. She is married to Charlton Botes and the pair is blessed with a son, Nathan.

Manani says she wishes she had known from a young age that life presents us with opportunities and that one should never be afraid to take risks and follow your dreams. Her mother raised her to be a very confident young woman and to make her presence known wherever she set foot. Follow Manani Botes on Facebook and botesm21 on Instagram.