Letter from Limpopo: Thabiso Sekhula says the girl with the proud Tsonga walk is bringing joy to the entire country – and inspiration to young girls from small towns everywhere
Once in a while, something magical happens that unites an entire nation. We see it when we win the World Cup, we see it when a South African doctor performs a groundbreaking surgery that’s never before been performed in the world, we see it when our athletes bring medals from the Olympics.
We are right in the middle of one such event with the win of the new Miss SA, Ndavi Nokeri a homegirl from a small village in Tzaneen, Limpopo. Whaaat!
These amazing moments manage to create a euphoria that spreads through the entire nation. Limpopo is in an extra good mood this week celebrating this incredible win. At the moment when her name was announced, nothing else mattered. We were filled with joy that has since swelled as we await her homecoming this weekend.
This Tzaneen girl who won the hearts of the nation will be stepping on Limpopo home soil for the first time as Miss South Africa. Throughout the pageant stages, we have walked this journey with her side by side, voting and engaging on social media. Her win is a collective win.
The mqombothi has been brewed and put under the mango trees in the yard for all visitors who stop by to talk about the weekend being given a taste.
We’ve already slaughtered a cow, nearly half is gone from the well wishers who keep coming by. But we don’t mind. Makarapa (Limpopo natives working in other provinces) are home and payday has come. The brass band is booked and hani na malume have their outfits ready for the weekend parades being held in Ndavi’s honour all around Limpopo.
On Twitter, @Nyikomuch recalls, “Grew up laughing at the Joke that said Tsonga girl vafamba can’t model. ha ha ha look at them now” . It is a popular stereotype from when we were kids – that a Tsonga girl cannot win a modelling competition as their “Tsonga walk” was seen as a disadvantage.
The audacity, but oh the pride of Ndavi strutting her very beautiful Tsonga walk on the highest pageant stage in the country, with a Tsonga print dress as one of her outfits is a moment that inspired even my 10 year old niece.
The family watched Ndavi’s crowning together and the joy in the room was so electrifying, we were so happy it hurt. Ndavi comes from Ka Gabaza in Tzaneen, just 50km from our house, it’s a real life fairy tale.
For my niece, the parade this weekend is not a small one, she witnessed a girl who could be her in a few years become Miss SA and be celebrated by all South Africa. Zozi Tunzi told the girls to take up space in her Miss Universe speech and the girls listened.
Ndavi represents that statement, being a most trusted truth for the little girls and big girls here. That yes it’s true, it can happen, even for small town girls and boys.
And I see you Miss SA organisation, doing the very 2022 thing: allowing pageants to be open to diverse women and actually becoming inclusive.
