The topic of pageantry has been debated for centuries. Its purpose, importance, and validity to the society as a whole or even to the contestants themselves – outside the “obvious” visible results of fame and benefits of sponsorships.
Cynics often swear it does not have any potent life changing benefits or at least the measurable reason to have them continue, while believers stand by the programme’s undeniable socioeconomic empowerment benefits and the upliftment of many of ignored societal issues – at least through pageantry, much is achieved in many communities through the involvement of large and small organisations and businesses helping develop their socioeconomic statuses.
It tells you how big of a deal it is if you consider the infamous mistake of 2015- Steve Harvey – Miss Colombia saga where he named Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo as the winner, instead of Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurzbach. National/Global politics and economics are involved in all of it. And now the introduction of Mrs Township is all to introduce that impact in the townships.
Miss Tshegofatso Naomi Mosiane – Mrs Township South Africa 2023, now reintroduced as the new Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Mrs Township South Africa pageantry organisation is responsible to continue what Miss Koketso Makau established in December 2019 as the former Mrs South Africa finalist.
Mrs Township South Africa is a beauty pageant and empowerment programme, and SA POSITIVE NEWS had the privilege of interviewing Miss Mosiane on her new vision for the phenomenal programme.
With visible socioeconomic results showing that pageantry is not just about beauty and fame, but can change lives, communities and nations with long lasting efficient projects, SA Positive News offered Mosiane the platform to share more on her take over and her plans for this impactful programme for the township.
Because townships usually carry their own narratives and histories that characterise them – Tshegofatso comes from a beautiful township in Mogale City, named Kagiso and the township very much carries the spirit of entrepreneurship. How fitting for a woman who now takes over a business that impacts lives and changes them for the better.
Mosiane simply described in three words, is resilient, purposeful and a healer. These words have everything to do with her upbringing and background, for in everything that she has been through, she says: “resilience has cemented me into the woman that I am today. I am living my purpose today, because from a broken place, I was reborn to restore, cement and heal”.
Asking her if she has any pageant background and if she ever thought a pageant program carried the responsibility she has now been exposed to – Naomi has previously been crowned Mrs Africa Worldwide 2020, Mrs Universe Africa Personality 2021, and she is the brains behind Universal Queen South Africa and Mr and Miss Kagiso. She says pageantry world has expanded her network, knowledge and has opened a new market for her to network with other phenomenal women who are at the quest of changing the world just as she is. Therefore, in simple terms – she knew exactly what she was getting herself into, that she even finds it a greater responsibility to see other township lives moving from nothing to glory, and from glory to glory.
The Mrs Township SA 2023 title and the pageant journey exposed Naomi to “Women Empowerment, growth and modern-day issues that women face”, and this very exposure is all linked to the reason she saw fit to take ownership of the programme, as she saw a gap addressing modern-day issues women face, safe healing spaces, restoration and cementing of identity spaces for women.
Excitingly so, Tshegofatso’s plans on taking over are to “uplift our African pride, restoring and cementing identity to the townships at large. To introduce education around infertility particularly to our townships.” Her ownership is bringing new elements of education and restoration, as lightly opposed to her predecessor’s where the initial mission of the pageant was to redefine the beauty of townships.
Tshegofatso states that the impact she perceives her plans bring to the fore and specifically to the contestants in the upcoming years, are Pride – wherein to know who they are and what they stand for – UBUNTU. Restoration – with the focus being on identity. Education – “a community that lacks knowledge perishes, and an educated one makes informed decisions”, she says.
Mosiane believes womanhood is associated with warmth, support, care, Ubuntu, motherhood, love, and healing.
Taking on the baton, Naomi intends on honouring those before her by working together as women, by propelling drives and projects that will cause their hands to forever be joined for the development of communities. She says the organisation is so far in teething stages, and she intends on continuing to support and hold together what was established in 2019.
Naomi does not sugar-coat, she confirms that acquiring this ownership was “very challenging, at some point seemed impossible. But because the passion and the drive were there, I kept pushing until I got it right. There was also fear of the unknown, issues of financial support and sponsorship for re-branding”.
What propelled the desire and thought for the takeover was that she saw an opportunity to be aligned with her calling and purpose, to restore and cement identity in a person. She saw an opportunity to transform mindsets of married, divorced, and widowed women, and the society at large. She responds by saying “it always seems impossible until it is done.” to SA Positive News’ question on her motivation to women in business in pushing for their dreams.
Mosiane has words of encouragement for the future contestants, and to the team joining her in steering this ship to even greater horizons of the newly re-branded Mrs Township SA: “…they must know who they are, what they stand for whether it be spiritually or culturally. They must believe that they are the change that the world needs and not seek validation from the world. Their dreams are valid.”
These are profound words that come from a woman who has travailed and travelled a journey that you might be currently going through, and with assurance of overcoming – she says to that township woman and man, that it does not have to end there, a great deal of purpose-work, that is fulfilling and filled with reward awaits you.
Miss Tshegofatso Naomi Mosiane – the new owner and Chief Executive Officer of Mrs Township SA – She finds a space and occupies it!!! From glory to glory she lifts!
By Cindy Motloung from SA POSITIVE NEWS
