Minki is headed for the Mrs South Africa crown
Jane Furse
The Mayor of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM), Cllr Merah Masekwele Mahlase, and the council collectively, weighs their support for Mrs South Africa 2024 semi-finalist, Minki Thokoane, as she endeavours in one of South Africa’s highly contested beauty pageants.
Minki is one of the former MLM bursary holder and she is amongst the female hopefuls who will be battling in the Dallmayr’s Mrs South Africa Pageant 2024.
The beauty contest is a female empowerment programme designed to unleash women’s hidden potential by equipping them with valuable skills in leadership, financial competence, sponsorship management, communication, personal branding and media management.
Born and raised in, Kutupu Village outside Jane Furse, Thokoane (33) officially set off on her Mrs South Africa journey on Friday, 2 February 2024, during the pageant’s National Public Casting, held at the Clearwater Mall in Roodepoort, Gauteng province.
Minki is counted among a list of ambassadors and she’s a living testimony of Makhuduthamaga Bursary Fund (MBF) and continues to make the municipality and her community proud.
Passionate about traditional affairs, women empowerment and youth education, Minki, who is also a traditional healer, is a product of MBF and now holds a BSC in Chemical Engineering from Wits University.
She matriculated at Maserumule Secondary School in 2008 with four distinctions and currently employed as a Software Engineer in one of the biggest banks in South Africa after furthering her studies.
Minki said she grew up in a community where her light skin tone was portrayed as a joke. She now believes she has always been beautiful and well equipped with all qualities to inspire young women particularly those in rural villages.
“I didn’t believe I could make it through as a semi-finalist, and I view this opportunity as a window for more possibilities. When I got selected to this space, I was filled with tears of joy and this was a confirmation that I am indeed beautiful in my own way,” she explained.
Mayor Mahlase said she supports platforms and opportunities that seek to help uncover strengths and leadership capabilities in young women in the local municipality.
“Minki Thokwane made the entire municipality proud when she completed her BSC using financial aid from our bursary fund. She is one of those that has motivated the municipality to develop the bursary policy to become more accessible and impactful to our hard-working students,” said Mahlase.
Contestants are set to battle at the semi-final showcase in July 2024 for selection of finalists and the crowning ceremony will take place on the 16 December 2024.
The MLM calls on all community members and stakeholders to support the semi-finalist, Minki Thokwane, with all the necessities and by liking and sharing her photos on Mrs South Africa social media platforms as well as voting for her Name and Surname to 47587 via SMS.
Furthermore, the MLM Bursary Committee said it has concluded with verification and selection processes for 2024 applications. Successful candidates will soon be issued with bursary letters to submit to their respective institutions. Already, the municipality is funding 18 students with all educational expenses such as tuition fees, books, accommodation and meals.
