A mom, exec and now the Mrs SA 2023

By: Noxolo Miya

PALESA Matjekane, who was crowned Mrs South African on November 11, is a mom of two, a businesswoman and communications specialist by profession.

In an exclusive interview with The Star, Matjekane, 35, spoke about where her journey for pageants began and said:

“From the age of six, my mom took me through finishing school, because she wished that her mother had done it for her but unfortunately her parents couldn’t afford it.”

“Finishing school equipped me so much and also empowered me from that young age to gain confidence. So, that’s where pageantry started for me, and I’ve travelled across the world through different pageants. It was meant to be a hobby because my mom made sure I studied first and obtained a qualification.”

“Fast forward years later, I also realised that the passion for fashion purely came through my grandmother, who was a dressmaker. My mother had me when she was 16, and I was raised by my grandparents. Growing up in the township, you can imagine what that felt like, but my grandparents believed that she (mom) had to do better than them. So, she did all of that and also became my biggest supporter in pageantry.”

Asked what she hoped to achieve in her reign, Matjekane said: “The title of Mrs South Africa carries so much weight, and I entered purely because I knew what I wanted out of the platform, for myself and for Mrs SA. I want to continue to mentor young girls and women. I believe through my experience, whether it’s my mother or what I’ve gone through myself in corporate and as a businesswoman. I’m a firm believer in mentorship. I believe that if we are intentional about it and focus more on the girl and boy child or women, we can drive them far, because they are those that don’t even have the mentorship through parenting.“

Matjekane shared her five must-have handbag items: “Definitely a daily devotional because I’m a spiritual person, a lipgloss, sunscreen, a pen and paper to write my notes and last, a charger.”

The Star