Yolanda Mapholi Nedohe from Thohoyandou is a little closer to having her childhood dream come true, after being selected as one of the semi-finalists for the Mrs South Africa 2023 pageant. The announcement was made after the national casting event at Emperor's Palace in Johannesburg on Friday, 3 February.
The 35-year-old said her dream had always been to win major beauty pageants. "I started modelling at a very young age, having entered and won the Miss Thengwe Secondary School [pageant] in 2004/5. My passion for beauty pageants kept on growing, and I entered more contests, eventually making it to the top 3 at university while I was studying. It did not stop there for me, though. I took it upon myself to try and empower and motivate younger women by involving myself in the pageants as a judge as well," she said.
Yolanda does not only have the looks; she also has the brains and the ambition to go with it. She works as an environmentalist in the mining sector, having obtained her bachelor's degree in geography and environmental management from the University of the Free State. On top of that, she is an award-winning fashionista (fashion designer), having won the Best Women in Fashion category at the She Millionaire Awards in November 2022.
Yolanda and her husband, Rethabile Nedohe, have been happily married since 2017 and support each other's ambitions. She said she wanted to inspire other women who did not embrace themselves to believe in themselves, love themselves, and stay true to who they were.
"Mrs South Africa is foremost a self-discovery and empowerment programme that celebrates diversity, ambition, and confidence, while showcasing some of the country's most phenomenal and talented women and giving them the skills and tools they need to achieve their dreams. To be one of the semi-finalists means a lot to me. It is a dream come true. I feel very fortunate to be part of this amazing experience. I am learning a lot through the sisterhood community already," she said.
To help Yolanda achieve her dreams, vote for by Liking and Sharing the Mrs SA page on Instagram, (Mrs South Africa) or by SMSing "Yolanda" to 47587. SMS costs R3.