Women Who Made Me Proud in 2025: Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala

 

One of the phenomenal women who made me so proud in 2025 is the iconic Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala. Not only does she hold the titles of Miss South Africa 2010 and Miss World Africa 2011 but she is also the only South African women who represented South Africa at all of the Big 4. And even with this achievement, looking back it seems so intentional, like she was climbing the ladder, step by step. First she represented SA at Miss Earth in 2007 where she placed in the top 16, then Miss International in 2019, Miss Universe 2011 and finally Miss World 2011 where she placed in the top 7 and was as I mentioned awarded the Miss World Africa title. 

In 2025, she actually stepped into a not entirely new but bigger role, pageant director for the pageant I used to work for and also Miss Universe. Proving that she doesn't shy away from a challenge, in both cases she had very limited time but she exceeded expectations by pulling it off and sending two great representatives to the internationals. And this was only the beginning, so it truly excites me to see what she will do with more time. 

I am very fortunate indeed because thanks to a twist of fate, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Bokang in person. We attended the Miss South Africa 2021 final in Cape Town and after the crowning, I was absolutely mortified that only Miss Universe was on stage and seeing Chani and Miss World 2019, Toni-Ann, left behind in the audience. I decided that I was not going to have any of that and decided that I would take Chani to the stage but I did not want to leave Toni-Ann behind. I still believe in South African hospitality despite the fact that I had at the tie not lived in the country for a decade and a half. Deciding the worst that could happen was a "no", I headed over the Miss World table and asked Mr. Steve Douglas if I could also take Toni-Ann and he was very kind and gracious and allowed me to do so. So I took both queens by the hand and made my way to the stage, knowing that it is something that I felt strongly about - there's a place for everyone in the sun (like Gerhard taught me). 

On stage, Bokang was the first to come over and from the mountain that my little orbit came in proximity to hers, I could feel goodness warmth and authenticity radiating from her. Over the years, the allure of meeting beauty queens faded but this was an encounter that is up there in my top 5 list in terms of the awe that I felt. There and then, I decided I would love to work alongside her one and that actually finally came true for a brief few weeks in 2025. Actually one of the last meaningful parts of the role was a long conversation with her. 

Our journey also included some sadness - when her beloved Wayne (Stafford) passed away, I got the opportunity to reconnect with Bokang. It was not under the best circumstances but her powerful speech at Wayne's memorial truly stood out because of its authenticity and the fact that she really "got" Wayne and supported him through thick and thin. When we made a team effort to choose a Mister Supranational South Africa in honor of Wayne, I knew I could count on Bokang to be there for that and she more than showed up. She was all in. 

Now she is on a new trajectory as a pageant director for some of the major international pageants and, like I said, it made me really proud to see how she stepped up and delivered. And if that made me proud in 2025, I am even more excited to see what 2026 and beyond holds because I know her heart is in the right place. Reading Bassie's memoir My Journey of Hope made me realised that what is needed in the South African pageant world is a mentor that could emulate the exceptional role the equally iconic Doreen Morris had in the development of her title holders (between 1994 and 1998). Since then, that type of figure that was there to really mentor (not just train or commercialise) the women has been amiss. I can't think of anyone better than Bokang to take on that role because she is fair, passionate about the industry, understands the industry, she is already successful in her own right so there's no need for her to use them to prove herself and she understands the business, power and purpose of pageantry. 

I have no doubt that the Bokang era will produce queens just as powerful as the Doreen years. It's time for a woman with a brain, heart and a desire for change to catapult and guide young South African women to heights that they never imagined and I am here for it!