A triple header for Eldos in the Miss Africa pageant
Pageant week will take place from November 23 to December 2, where the winner will be crowned.
Africa Pageants June 2018 announced that 3 Eldorado Park locals have been selected as finalists for the prestigious beauty pageant. Each finalist will embark on an exciting journey which promises to change their lives forever. The finalists are; Natasha de Matos (39), Riany Van Der Merwe (30) and Theoline Morgan (25).
The trio live in Ennerdale, Eldorado Park, Ext 4and 9 (Kersiedorp), respectively. Natasha de Matos is a mother of three who is very passionate about her community, especially the elderly.
Even though she lives in Ennerdale, she spends most of her days in service to the people of Eldorado Park as she works for the City of Johannesburg, at the housing department, in Extension Six.
Before moving to Ennerdale, she spent her first few years living in Kliptown before moving to Extension Six.
De Matos said that she entered the pageant to prove to herself and others that age is nothing but a number, “I will be 40 this year and I still feel beautiful and so should other women. I want women out there to know that age should never define who they are and what they do in life,” she said.
She added that she entered the pageant because it’s the first of its kind to openly accept women of all ages, shapes, height and sizes. When asked about the social ills in communities today, de Matos resonated with most but chose teenage pregnancy and elderly abuse as the two areas she will be focusing on if she is crowned.
“These are two issues that are very close to my heart. Abuse of the elderly hurts me to the core and I want to create awareness of its severity, I will be old too one day and when I’m there, I want to be respected,” she said.
“Teenage pregnancy is so common these days, I want to educate girls about it. They need to know that there are consequences and real responsibilities that lie ahead. I want to educate them about abstinence and why it is so important.
“They need to love themselves first. Having sex with a man does not define your love for him, girls need to know that. If I do get crowned, these are some of the areas I will dedicate my time to,” she added.
Riany Van Der Merwe spent her formative years in the streets of Kliptown and was adopted by a family who lived in Eldorado Park, Extension Four and she has been living with them ever since. She is passionate about sports and is eager to give back to her community by creating a programme that will positively benefit the youth of Eldorado Park.
“Life for me was very tough growing up. I had a mother who wasn’t there and that made simple tasks difficult for me. I wasn’t as confident as I should’ve been if only I had a mother who was there and who listened,” said Van Der Merwe.
She added that today many children are forced to grow up quickly because of absent parents and that she wants to change that.
“I want to be a source of inspiration and hope for youngsters. If I can, I want to be that mother figure to those in need,” she said.
When asked which social issues she will tackle if she is crowned as Miss Africa, she said that unemployment is at the top of her list, “Our youngsters need jobs, they are demotivated because of the lack of job opportunities and I want to try changing that,” said Van Der Merwe.
She added that teenage pregnancy resonates with her as well and that children’s grant money being abused is an area she will dedicate her time to.
Theoline Morgan was born and bred in Extension Nine, Kersiedorp and has always had a love for modelling and acting. Morgan is passionate about women empowerment and wants to set an example for young girls in Coloured communities.
“Girls need to know that their circumstances should never define who they are and who they want to be. I want to be an example and a beacon of hope to girls out there,” said Morgan.
The 25-year-old has landed quite a few acting roles in the local television space. She starred in soapies such as Swartwater where she played the role of a nurse, Ashes to ashes in which she portrayed a matron and even Getroud met rugby, as a rugby player’s wife. She scored a leading role in a summer campaign on SABC 2.
Morgan said that if she were crowned, she would use her platform to voice her opinions on the social ills in her community and that she would assist with community developing initiatives to address these social ills.
“I hope I can make a difference in my community,” she said.
Both de Matos and Van Der Merwe have since participated in community outreach programmes, giving back to their communities.
On Mandela Day, the pair spent their 67 minutes with the needy in Eldorado Park, handing out clothing to keep warm this winter and cooking meals to give to those in need.
According to the trio, they’ve already learned so much about themselves during the past few weeks.
“This pageant is one like no other, it’s not just about the beauty and looks. It’s about a sisterhood, we are taught to be there for one another and to respect one another. We are so grateful for the opportunity and words cannot express our excitement,” they said.
If they are crowned, the ladies have committed to using their platform to create positive change in the community.
“We will tackle social ills such as unemployment, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, elderly abuse as well the mismanagement of children’s grant money,” they said.
Pageant week will take place from November 23 to December 2, where the winner will be crowned.
– To vote for Natasha de Matos, SMS the code Mrs07 to 47018.
– To vote for Riany Van Der Merwe, SMS the code Ms01 to 47018.
– To vote for Theoline Morgan, SMS the code Ms04 to 47018.
– Sms’ cost R2 and free SMSs and bundles do not apply.
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