An authentic, sophisticated and relatable married woman who stands out above the rest. This is what the judges of the Mrs South Africa pageant and empowerment programme are looking for. Could one of our lovely KZN North Coast semi-finalists be her?
Rather than being a typical ‘beauty pageant’, the Mrs South Africa programme takes the finalists on a journey of growth and empowerment. Open to married women between the ages of 25 and 55, the competition is a platform for the finalists to upskill themselves in the areas of self-development, community work, networking and business.
Here is your chance to meet our five KZN North Coast semi-finalists …
SHAN FOURIE – BALLITO
Shan is a mom of three and has been married to her ‘first crush’ for 12 years. After starting a career in marketing, she began blogging and her Instagram platform has grown significantly.
Now a full-time content creator, Shan uses her platform to share brands and businesses, as well as raise awareness and funds for causes and initiatives close to her heart.
“I am an ambassador for the SA Bone Marrow Registry and The Red Movement and was recently nominated as ‘the voice for the oppressed’ for the Rise Up Movement, which aims to eradicate poverty, gender-based violence, human trafficking and child abuse.”
What was the motivation behind your decision to enter Mrs SA?
I didn’t make the decision lightly, but it is something that has been on my heart for the longest time. I decided that 2022 is my ‘yes’ year, and I would say yes to the things that inspire and align with who I am – Mrs SA was one of those things. After encouragement from family (mostly my not-so-little little brother), I put my fears aside and entered. My motivation comes from a deep certainty that I am meant to do something with this one life that I have been given, to make it meaningful and have an impact on the world around me. I am so honoured to be on part of it with my fellow top 100 beauties.
What is your ultimate personal goal through being a part of this journey?
To grow into the best version of myself through the many resources and challenges that the Mrs SA pageant lays out for us, while remaining true to the person I am. It is also my hope that, in taking part in this journey, I become better equipped for whatever lies ahead for me in this life.
What has the Mrs SA experience been like so far?
A whirlwind of feelings! It has been exciting, daunting, exhilarating, inspiring, challenging, time-consuming and so much more. Overnight I became part of a tribe of women across South Africa who are all on a quest to invest in themselves, and that in itself is incredibly special. There are days when the doubt creeps in and I wonder how on earth I will fit this into my already very busy life, but when I pause and reflect on my ‘why’, I feel confident in the fact that I am where I am meant to be.
ANDILE PIETERSON – BALLITO
Andile is 33-year-old wife and mom of two little boys, aged 5 and 7. She and her loving husband and children live in Ballito and she is an optometrist by profession. Andile owns two private practices and also has an identical twin sister … who is also an optometrist!
What was the motivation behind your decision to enter Mrs SA?
I entered Mrs South Africa for my own growth and development, as well as to inspire other ordinary women like me and young girls to go after their dreams.
What is your ultimate personal goal through being a part of this journey?
Personally, I would like to use this platform as an opportunity to expand my work with my TwinsOnEyes – a foundation which I run with my twin sister through which we provide glasses and eyecare awareness to underprivileged schools.
What has the Mrs SA experience been like so far?
It has been amazing. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with incredible women, and also to explore my own potential and growth through the Mrs SA life and business coaching.
What are three things not many people know about you?
I love hip-hop music. I’m one part of two sets of girl twin siblings and my husband and my twin sister’s husband are cousins . . . so our kids look alike! I have a one-year certificate in Theology, which I did just so that I could understand the Bible better.
NADIA ABOUD – LA LUCIA
Nadia married her husband Tyrone three years ago. The couple have three ‘fur babies’ and they relocated to Umhlanga from the Free State, where they both grew up, a few years ago. Having recently completed a BA Health Science and Social Services degree, Nadia is also a qualified fashion designer and Bio Sculpture nail technician. She has combined her skills and created a business called Darling Shine and, as a registered counsellor, Nadia offers youth coaching at disadvantaged schools on a pro-bono basis. She aims to complete her honours and masters’ degrees and eventually qualify as a child psychologist.
What was the motivation behind your decision to enter Mrs SA?
This has always been on my long-term goals list. The Mrs SA pageant doesn’t only focus on beauty and giving you a platform to bring about change in the country, but it also provides you with the opportunity for maximum growth that interlinks with every aspect of your life. It is a journey of positive change – for you, for your family, for the people around you and for your career. You don’t need to be a beauty queen to be involved with NPOs and make an impact on people’s lives, but the power of the sash allows for the opportunity to do everything on an even larger scale.
What has the Mrs SA experience been like so far?
It still feels surreal to sit in a room, having conversations with people such as Nicole Capper, Joani Johnson and so many other inspirational women. I have done a lot of introspection since the start of Mrs SA, questioning myself in every way possible to really get to know myself better, and I find there is immense power in truly knowing yourself. So far, it has been absolutely wonderful, combined with hard work and pushing myself out of my comfort zone!
What are three things not many people know about you?
I have only recently started to speak about my infertility struggles, which is something I would like to share more about, to hopefully educate and provide some sort of support and comfort.
I began martial arts training at age 10 and won a gold medal at the Martial Arts World Championships.
I was raised in a small town called Koffiefontein, which meant I grew up learning skills such as fishing, hunting (I have a Roland Ward Trophy), DIY and other ‘thinking outside the box’ things you have to learn when you live 100km away from the nearest city!
ELOISE BRIGGEMAN – UMHLANGA
Born in Durban, Eloise Briggeman is a wife and mom of two teenagers. She is also the CEO of The Wellness Centre Trust (an NPO assisting the homeless and destitute), the financial director of the family businesses and co-owner with her daughter and son of Super Smoothies. “We are an entrepreneurial family,” she says. “I love traveling and spending quality time with my close-knit family and I also enjoy keeping fit and healthy with weight training, swimming and running along our beautiful coastline.
What was the motivation behind your decision to enter Mrs SA?
I entered Mrs South Africa with the aim of using the platform to be part of the solution for changes that need to be made – specifically for women and the next generation. Mother Teresa said, “a life not lived for others, is not a life,” and I’ve always felt a calling to uplift those around me. I believe that we aren’t truly ‘influential’ until we use our influence to positively impact the lives of others. In speaking for those who don’t have the platform to speak themselves, we can empower the next generation to pursue the lives that they deserve!
What is your ultimate personal goal through being a part of this journey?
To create an influential platform where I can sit with other influential people in our country and put into action the changes that I believe need to be made. These include better transport solutions for children going to public schools and a better system for children and adults who need identity documents and birth certificates (without which people cannot break the cycle of poverty in their lives).
What are three things not many people know about you?
I love good quality coffee so much that I take my coffee machine with me whenever I go away on holiday! For the first part of my childhood, I lived in a place called Glendale (a very small town outside of Stanger) and I used to sit at the back of a milk truck to get to school every day. I am a perfectionist!
KHUMU MADLALA – UMHLANGA
Now living in Mount Edgecombe, 43-year-old Khumbu grew up in the small town of Eshowe on the North Coast.
She is married to Bonginkosi and works in the engineering department in a cement factory. “I believe in the spirit of ‘Ubuntu’ and I am very passionate about mentoring the youth in life skills.”
Khumbu’s philosophy in life is, ‘strive to serve when you have been served’ and she is currently studying towards an LLB degree. She hopes to be an advocate in three years’ time.
What is your ultimate personal goal through being a part of this journey?
My life has been filled with mentors and someone has always been holding my hand throughout my decision making. I believe you don’t necessarily have to learn through ‘trial and error’ and that there is always someone experienced who can guide you through. My husband and I run a mentorship/substance abuse counselling office that focuses on the youth. With the Mrs SA journey, I hope to grow my platform to be able to reach out to South Africa.
What has the Mrs South Africa experience been like so far?
I am still in awe of how much support I’ve received from my friends, family and husband. The experience has already opened doors and opportunities for me to speak to young people at schools and address them on life issues. What I have realised is that more people want to hear what you have to say. In isiZulu we say ‘abantu bakunika indlebe’ – all the reasons why I should be very careful with my words as I might impact and influence someone either positively or negatively. I have also been invited for interviews on local radio stations in Durban, which has been life-changing and fun!
What are three things not many people know about you?
My husband and I were born 14 days apart because our mothers were friends and pregnant at the same time. They even used to go for clinic check-ups on the same day. We only got to know about this when we were engaged! I am a very good children’s story teller – they listen and concentrate when I tell them stories. I started doing my LLB degree at the age of 40, which just goes to show that it is never too late to start!
Photographs: Poppy & Poet Photography, @poppyandpoet
Flower crowns: Love Laugh, @lovelaughproteas
