Thembeni beauty queen reaches for Mrs Universe Africa title
She describes her entry into the pageant as a celebration of her identity and all that she has overcome and achieved.
From the stage of Mrs Commonwealth 2018 to being crowned Mrs Zululand 2021, Thembeni’s beauty queen, Samukelisiwe Mbatha, is reaching for another crown.
Currently Mrs Zululand’s longest-reigning queen, Samukelisiwe flies the KwaDukuza flag even higher as she makes her way to the Mrs Universe Africa 2023 semi-finals.
“I am gunning for the crown and the opportunity to represent the organisation as it resonates with everything I stand for,” said Mbatha.
The Mrs Universe Africa beauty pageant aims to celebrate those who embody the essence of African women. It celebrates African diversity and is an empowerment network for relatable women to showcase their talent and harness their purpose.
“What attracted me to the brand is their pursuit of helping women to become the best they can be,” she said.
She describes her entry into the Mrs Universe Africa pageant as a celebration of her identity and all that she has overcome and achieved.
Inspired by her struggles with mental health, Samukelisiwe uses pageantry platforms to amplify her voice in advocating mental wellness and the augmentation of inner beauty.
“I suffered from depression for many years without even knowing it because I did not know the symptoms,” she said.
Being a natural-born philanthropist, she works part-time as a communications and admin director at Sakhisizwe Warrior Foundation, an NPO based in Shaka’s Head. They offer support and awareness to the community through gardening initiatives, gender-based violence and LGBTQ+ awareness campaigns.
She believes being crowned Mrs Universe Africa 2023 will help her reach a wider audience and will allow her to educate more people about mental health.
Samukelisiwe will compete with finalists from all over Africa at the pageant which will be held in Johannesburg on July 1. The winner will represent Africa at the Mrs Universe pageant.
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