PUTTING CULTURE BACK INTO HERITAGE DAY

SOUTH Africa’s beauty-turned-heritage ambassador Zabelo Hlabisa vows to set the stage on fire at this year’s Miss Heritage Global Pageant.

Hlabisa, 28, from Newcastle will have her dream come true when she struts her stuff at the Kalahari Waterfront in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, on Saturday.

She admitted that modelling and pageants were not her first love, but was encouraged to participate in them by her adoptive mother at the age of 10.

Hlabisa won the Miss Zululand title when she was in Grade 11 at school and the Miss DUT (Durban University of Technology) award while studying there.

“After winning Miss DUT in 2018 I was hooked on pageants.

“Every other competition I entered was a build up for an even bigger competition,” said Hlabisa.

She then represented the university at the Miss SA Campus modelling competition, where she triumphed against contestants from other universities in the country.

“After clinching that title, I went to South Korea in 2019 to represent all the other universities in South Africa at the World Miss University Competition, where I was bestowed the title of World Peace Ambassador and won a scholarship to do my Master’s Degree in that country,” she said.

Hlabisa said that she was planning to do her Master’s in 2024, as the Covid-19 pandemic halted her plans to do it earlier.

She currently holds a Degree of Bachelor of Technology in office management and technology obtained in 2019.

Hlabisa said that although modelling was something she had hoped to do for the rest of her life, age was a limiting factor.

“I decided that before my eligibility to continue modelling ends, I would train other young girls who wish to see themselves in a similar position like myself some day.

“I have since registered my own modelling academy that trains young girls in public speaking, cat walking and voice overs.

“I also get them gigs for promotions,” said Hlabisa.

She said she had been eyeing the Miss Heritage South Africa competition for years and entered this year.

“I love my heritage and as a traditional healer it's important to me. Even my graduation attire was culturally themed.

“It means the celebration of who we are and where we come from.

“I have represented the country before, but I am particularly looking forward to this one because I live my life as a heritage and cultural activist.

“So I aim to make sure that other people get to know what makes South African heritage so unique and special,” she said.

She said South Africans could rest assured that what made South Africa’s heritage unique would be seen in her performance and attire on Saturday.

Mbofholowo Mbodi, CEO of the pageant, said the aim was to celebrate, promote and preserve heritage on a global platform.

Saturday would see beauty queens between the ages of 18 to 28 from over 50 countries competing for the title.

“As an organisation we have contestants who are proud of where they come from, their heritage, culture and customs.

“They come and compete at a pageant where they are representing their country.

“They are basically teaching about their way of living,” said Mbodi.