Local pageant queen reaches semi-finals of Miss Bachelorette SA
Advocating against gender-based violence is the focus of this pageant. A lot of contestants have suffered from GBV, but decided to stand up against it.
Nonceba Charmaine Mdedetyana (33), is a semi-finalist for Miss Bachelorette South Africa.
Charmaine, who works for the South African Police Service Mounted Unit, has been competing in pageants since the age of three. Titles previously won by Charmaine include Miss Potchefstroom, Miss North West, Miss Global International, and SA Miss Cultural International amongst many others.
The Miss Bachelorette pageant was created to accommodate models that don’t fall in the Miss or Mrs South Africa categories. It accommodates unmarried women as well as divorced and widowed women between the ages of 25-50.
Advocating against gender-based violence is the focus of this pageant. A lot of contestants have suffered from GBV, but decided to stand up against it.
As a divorcee that comes from an abusive relationship, Charmaine deeply resonates with the cause. Charmaine lost her sister and cousin due to GBV.
“You don’t have to be abused and cheated and beaten to show that you are strong. I had a son to think about. I had to leave for him and myself.”
Charmaine further says that the abuse of women towards women is a part of GBV.
“Women bringing each other down, mothers criticizing daughters, emotional abuse, financial abuse. All of it is considered GBV.”
Coming from a culture where getting married and being a good wife is seen as the ultimate accomplishment, Charmaine asks,
“We raise our daughters to be good wives, why not raise our daughters to be good women?”
When Charmaine is not busy with pageantry or work, she enjoys charity work, dress making, and writing. She has two published books called “To Live Again”, and “My Love My Life My Ways”.
Charmaine wants this message to resonate with others:
“Marriage is not the ultimate success. Divorce is not failure. Beating is not love, mothers and daughters. It’s not easy to walk away, but if I can then anyone can.”
The finalists will be announced on the 2nd of December, followed by the competition in April 2023.
Charmaine is representing North West in the Miss Bachelorette SA contest, and needs votes from the public to enter the final stage.
Charmaine wants to thank Potchefstroomers for their support and hopes to make a difference through this pageant.
She can be contacted on 063 197 0708 for more information on the voting process.
