Jerry crowned Miss Universe Diversity 2024

Yet another dream came true for Louis Trichardt beauty queen Jerry Makananise. At age 22, she was crowned Miss Universe Diversity 2024 at this international competition, which took place at Alliance Française de Maseru in Lesotho on the weekend on 9 December.

"I'm just a little girl who grew up in the village. I never would have thought I'd become an international beauty pageant titleholder," said Jerry upon winning the title.

The competition commenced on 7 December with a friendship party, featuring a cultural food exchange and gift exchanges. This was followed by interviews early the next day and a bus tour of Maseru, Lesotho's capital city. The day concluded with a classic South African braai in one of the country's beautiful mountain ranges.

On Saturday, Jerry had to prepare for the upcoming night, but no amount of preparation could have readied her for the moment when it was announced, "And the new Miss Universe Diversity is ... South Africa."

"It was so surreal. I could almost hear my mother screaming her lungs out," said Jerry when asked about the announcement. Alongside winning the title, she also secured the People's Choice award and the Best Talent Award.

"I would like to extend a massive thank you to all of my sponsors: Studio 1 Beauty Bar and Café for my hair, Just Bella Beauty Lounge for my nails, Rainbow Midas Louis Trichardt, Premjee Louis Trichardt, Mr Johan Kirsten, Mr Luke Enslin, Eshu-Tech, and Mr Uzair Osman of Part City Louis Trichardt for making my dream come true," shared a thankful Jerry.

Drawing from her life experiences, she intends to utilise this title to instigate positive change, beginning with addressing the mental-health crisis troubling the country. She aims to use this platform to dismantle the stereotypes surrounding depression and hopes others will follow suit.

"The strongholds of depression lose their power when spoken about. We need to start discussing it, cease treating it as a taboo, and instead address it as the illness it is," said Jerry.

Date:22 December 2023

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