From Sosh pavement to catwalk

Kgaogelo Makgoba of Soshanguve is a woman of many talents and the 24-year-old has used her modelling career to advocate for positive change.

Apart from being a model, she also is a qualified teacher, theatre practitioner, broadcast journalist and writer.

“I get the pleasure of wearing many hats, but at the core of who I am, is a servant leader of my country,” she said.

Makgoba was part of the World Top Model South Africa contest in 2020 where she took the fifth position and was the fourth runner up in Miss Jungle 2020 and is currently in the semi-finals of the Miss Intercontinental SA contest.

Her breakthrough in modelling came when she entered World Top Model South Africa where she networked with incredible models who she holds very close to her heart today.

“That right there is the power of pageantry, sisterhood. I met my best friend and soul sister.”

She said she was noticed by other models and cultivated her fan base among models and scouts.

Makgoba fell in love with modelling from a young age and entered her first one pageant in primary school.

She said she never received professional modelling training but when she was younger, there was a girl in her neighbourhood to whom she would go to her for help with rehearsals because this was her thing.

“Most of the time I would watch videos and walk all around the house.

My mother’s pavement will forever be my ramp. In fact, if that pavement could talk, it would tell you of the falls, the twirls and so much more.”

Proud mother, Ruth Makgoba, said she knew Kgaogelo would be a model when she started entering pageants in primary school.

“I am so proud of her and I wish she could win Miss Intercontinental and be Miss South Africa some day.”

Makgoba holds pageantry dear to her heart because “it makes girls feel comfortable in their skin and allows them to champion causes close to their heart”.

Her biggest influence and inspiration is her sister, Florence Khanyisa Malamule, who she refers to as her deputy mother as well as TJ Malamule.

“Their encouragement and faith in me are immeasurable and my journey has been blessed with the support of many wonderful individuals, especially my family.

They have been my constant pillar of strength, my cousin Naum, in particular, stands out.”

She said Naum never misses a pageant she participates in and rallies everyone to vote for her.

“She is truly the wind beneath my wings, always lifting me higher and pushing me to soar.

Her love and support mean the world to me, and I am forever grateful for her unwavering belief in me.”

Naum Malahlela said seeing her cousin grow in the pageantry world has been amazing, from practising in the passage to walking like a goddess on a ramp in a room full of people.

“The journey has been so wonderful and so inspiring. She is legit my reference that all things are possible if you put your all in and has been nothing but amazing.”

Makgoba said that the interview round is her favourite part of the pageant because it gives her the chance to lay her heart on the stage and tell others about the things she believes in, the kind of world she wants to live in and what she is doing to make them possible.

She hopes to win Miss Intercontinental and use this prestigious platform to bring hope and inspiration to her community, which is currently gripped by crime and despair.

“Through this journey, I aim to be a beacon of light for my community, a symbol of perseverance and possibility.

I want to remind every young person in Jukulyn that their dream matters, that they have the potential to achieve it, and that there is always hope, no matter how difficult the path may seem.”

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