“I want to set an example that despite not meeting the perpetuated beauty standards, I am beautiful, I am enough, and I am a Queen…”
Precious Pitsi Manaka, (Gold) is an Entrepreneur from Lephalale in Limpopo and based in Gauteng.
The resilient, multifaceted Queen – who has named herself Gold, is a beauty queen with brains to match, with two formidable qualifications in the bag. She holds a degree in Film and Television, Honours in Communications and currently a post-graduate student.
Precious is Miss Curvy 2024 finalist, a model, public speaker, inspirational speaker and mental fitness activist. She believes that mental health and fitness are primary requirements for one to function best in life. This observation is based on her life experiences and research.
Manaka is proving to be a Jack of all trades – she is a director of a company named after her son, Janhel Holdings which is a Branding, Corporate Uniform Supply and Promotional gifting company based in three provinces – namely Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal. Talk about an absolute larger than life overachiever. We love to see women taking up space and cementing themselves in their different niches.
In an exclusive interview with SA POSITIVE NEWS Manaka took us down memory lane, looking at some of her memorable childhood experiences.
“I grew up in Lephalale, Marapong, the best part of my childhood was travelling between my birthplace, Mankweng, Moria, Polokwane and Lephalale. The distinct memory I have is my appreciation for nature since an early age.
I also recall that I did not really like the instability I grew up in – feeling like I was being passed from one parent to the other, because one moment I was staying with my grandmother, aunts, cousins for better education in the township while on weekends I would travel back to the rural, Leruphuruphung in Ga-Seleka, Lephalale. I still have some childhood traumas because of some bad experiences in public transport that makes me the overprotective mother I am to my daughter especially.”
Manaka shares with SA POSITIVE NEWS the vivid memory of being discriminated against, body shamed and bullied for her fully figured nature.
In her early teenage years Manaka was subjected to an ordeal that changed the cause of her life immensely. She was a victim of sexual violence at the tender age of 14, resulting in an unfortunate pregnancy.
The attempt to trade her virginity for freedom led to Gold becoming a teenage mom at age 15 which became a life changing experience.
“The challenges of teenage pregnancy, having to juggle school and motherhood while facing a backlash from the small-town community was detrimental to my mental health. My parents decided to move me to my grandmother’s house that then resulted in me being shifted to complete my Grade 11 and 12 in Makgongoana High School in Mankweng, Polokwane, while also facing poverty in that area”, said Manaka.
Through self-awareness and self-acceptance, Gold recently decided to conquer the world of Pageantry. The decision was informed by the spark and zeal of learning that pageantry is about more than just good looks. She realized that it requires one to be a hard and smart worker.
“I am attracted to positivity and being involved in something that is worthwhile. According to the founder of Miss Curvylicious, Maatemeke Phasha, a Queen can only be identified by the good work they do, not by their physical features. That means one needs to earn the title of being a Queen”, Manaka explained.
The beauty queen is passionate about mental health – she advocates for better self-awareness and self- improvement. Her goal is to inspire action and conversations around mental health and fitness; citing that mental fitness is a key requirement for one to function best in the current economic climate of South Africa.
When SA POSITIVE NEWS asked the Golden girl her reasons for entering Miss Curvy 2024 pageant, she had this to say: “I wanted to finally stop sleeping on myself. I have let my fear of being body shamed stop me from auditioning for presenting roles for too long despite my belief that I am a good speaker and presenter who also really looks good on camera. I still stood in my own way because of fear. When I heard about the pageant, I gained interest and told my sister about it who pushed me to go on the day of the auditions and told me: ‘Stop sleeping on yourself’.
Manaka aims to use her platform as a Plus Size Model to represent and inspire marginalised women whose looks do not conform to currently perpetuated beauty standards. The platform afforded to Gold allows her to become a reference point, a voice to the voiceless and a representation of fully figured women in mainstream media.
Her reason for being truthful about her life journey and mental health struggles is quite remarkable and commendable – Manaka believes it boosts her relatability up a notch especially because most people do not openly share such issues.
Miss Curvy 2024 finale is set for the 1st of November 2024 at the Pretoria State Theatre.
To Vote for Precious Gold Manaka, deposit an amount of your choice, not less than R20 using Reference: LIM2405 INTO FNB Account: 62942514359
Precious wishes to expand on her astounding charity work with giving support to the identified disadvantaged leaners especially matriculants and giving support to identified psychiatric ward patients.
Please reach out through her social media platforms or mail: admin@janhelholdings.com
By Sinenzolo Mondi
