Cape Town – Ndavi Nokeri was crowned Miss SA 2022 but is not prepared to halt her progress there, as she wears the wings of Africa on her back, preparing to take on the challenge of becoming Miss Universe.
Limpopo-born Ndavi was crowned Miss South Africa 2022 in August at the Sun Arena in Times Square, Pretoria.
Ndavi was the fan-favourite after she cracked the top five as the only contestant voted by the public into the coveted spot.
The top five also included Luvé Meyer and Tamsyn Jack, who are both from the Western Cape, and Gauteng’s Lebogang Mahlangu.
She walked away with R3 million in prizes, including R1 million in cash from the Miss SA Organisation and the use of a luxury apartment at the posh Waterfall City in Midrand during the year of her reign.
YOUR MISS SOUTH AFRICA 2022 @Ndavi_Nokeri ?
? @AmericanSwiss #MissSA2022 #misssouthafrica2022 #ndavinokeri pic.twitter.com/LPH5dxTK9Z
— Miss South Africa (@Official_MissSA) August 13, 2022
“From the very beginning of my Miss South Africa journey, I always wanted people to know that I was standing for Tsonga people because growing up as a child I felt as if we were under-represented, “Nokeri said about the winged attire she will be wearing at the Miss Universe competition.
“At the same time, we’ve incorporated the fact that I’m South African and African; this is so beautiful because I’ve come to learn that as Africans we are more alike than we are different thanks to our shared experiences and values.
“It is a proud moment for me to make all Africans feel seen, understood and represented.“
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Speaking about the outfit, Miss SA’s creative director, Werner Wessels said a distinctly African feel was the aim while designing the costume.
“This year we wanted the national costume to have a distinctly African feel. We love the fact that Ndavi is proudly Tsonga. It is at the very core of who she is, and so part of the costume is inspired by her Tsonga culture and it is beautifully represented in the choice and use of fabrics,” Wessels said.
“The wings showcase flight and represent something that is ascending because African women in the world are busy rising; we are seeing this in so many pop culture moments such as The Woman King and Wakanda Forever,” The Miss SA organisation said in an Instagram post.
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Picture: Instagram/ @official_misssa
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
