Shamika shoots her shot for Miss SA crown

Port Shepstone’s very own Shamika Sookoo has taken a leap and entered the 2021 Miss South Africa Pageant.

Entries for Miss South Africa 2021 close today (June 24) at midnight and the Herald and its readers wish Shamika all the best.

Born and raised in Port Shepstone, Shamika is currently studying towards a National N Diploma in Electrical Engineering and completing her final year of in-service training in Cape Town. At present, she is a junior business developer in engineering at a solar power company and is the first female to join the team.

Raised by enabling and supportive parents, this 25-year-old is not afraid to look adversity in the eye.

Shamika had always aspired to one day be part of Miss South Africa.

“I made this decision a few years ago and made a commitment to enter at the time I felt most complete and confident. That moment is now,” she said.

Shamika matriculated from Port Shepstone Secondary in 2013 and attended DUT in 2014. She then went on to complete nated courses at a hybrid of technical colleges.

During her years of studying, she embarked on an entrepreneurship journey and started her own company in 2019.

The company is a business development and management consultancy that focuses on assisting SMME’s in its start-up, expansion plans and corporate identities.

To date, Shamika’s company has impacted 10 small to medium businesses, aiding in closing the unemployment gap within the communities those businesses operate in.

As a teenager, Shamika realised the power of what her parents instilled her.

Having faced bullying and other challenges, she used those lessons to overcome the idea of fitting in.

“As years went by I decided to focus on the positives and work on the negatives while getting involved in activities that built my self esteem,” she said.

Shamika participated in Eskom science expos, Girl Brownies and was involved in clubs at school. Those activities ignited her passion for science and engineering.

“My career path chose me so I opted to go with what I was passionate about,” she said. Shamika chose the renewable energy industry because of the current impact and advancements it is making in the country.

She believes that she is at the forefront of the country’s grid system dynamic.

“Being a female in this male dominating space has encouraged me to channel my voice and take up my space with confidence. I began as the only female technician in an all male technician site yet always felt a sense of inclusivity. I did not see this as a barrier because I had enablers that did not make me feel any different, of which I recognised,” Shamika added.

She views herself as a teachable person, and one that is always open to constructive criticism and change.

Shamika intends to represent Miss South Africa’s brand, its values and its mission while understanding the responsibilities that come with it.

“I would continue to utilise the ‘power of the collective’ strategy and collaboratively work to implement solutions to common yet prevailing problems.

I intend to get to the root of the problems and change them there hence my focus on flattening the unemployment curve amongst the youth of South Africa while including the need to close the gender equality gap in STEMs careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics),” Shamika explained.

She is confident that her life experiences, street smarts and entrepreneurship skills will aid in carrying her through this journey.

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