The first Mr and Miss Albinism South Africa held at Victory Theatre, Johannesburg. - Photo credit: Mr and Miss Albinism South Africa.
By Beverley Maphakane
The first ever Mr and Miss Albinism South Africa double pageant was nothing short of spectacular.
Held at Victory Theatre in Houghton, Johannesburg on Saturday, October 30, 2021, the event attracted an audience from different provinces and from as far as Botswana, with anoticeable majority being people with albinism.
At the end of the evening, Brian Makhubela from Mpumalanga and Lerato Sethibe from Free State were crowned winners.
The judges did not have it easy in deciding the winners out of 15 finalists who were dominated by 10 females. One of the judges, Precious Ndlovu (42), while applauding the contestants, said “I have never seen a pageant so tough in my life. My head was burning fire when time for judging came. People with albinism are talented and magnificently intelligent regardless of their challenges.
“I was a bit nervous of what I was going to face, but also excited to see what they had in store for us. Seeing a whole community of albinism was like a different world to me. So amazing on stage, and their confidence is what really made me proud to be amongst them. I was so taken by this greatest experience ever,” Ndlovu told ThisAbility.
Twenty-six-year-old Makhubela who hails from a small village in Nkomazi district, said winning the Mr Albinism SA 2021 was a privilege and that he was “honoured with the responsibilities of helping a boy child with albinism”.
Though he acknowledged the progress made in eliminating the stigmas around people with albinism, he admitted that there was still a lot of work to be done. “Communities have to do more in terms of making sure that people with albinism are free from stigmatisation, marginalisation and all of sorts of unjustifiable actions that are harmful,” Makhubela said.
Sethibe (30), said it felt surreal upon her name being called. “It felt like I was dreaming, so unreal yet thrilling. Having that crown put on my head and the crowd cheering up made me feel like a queen,” she told ThisAbility.
Speaking of shaping an inclusive society she said that “We are going forward.” She further approved the invention of the pageants. “This is a national pageant, and it is here to bring change, instil confidence and bring society together to live in a diverse world.”
The founder of the pageants, Godfrey Mphatswe (37), who was born in Gannalaagte, North West province, said he was hoping that the competition would be “the first of the greatest”.
The Mr South Africa 2016 finalist and former Gauteng Fashion Council board member said he got the idea after seeing that people with albinism were suffering and did not have any representation in the beauty and fashion industry. “After having been invited to and learning from countries like Botswana, Malawi and Nigeria where I was a judge for the same kind of pageants, I realised it was up to me to introduceit in South Africa.” Mphatswe said.
He urged the audience to educate themselves to eliminate stigmas and embrace diversity. “With this movement we strive to instil diversity among the people of the nation.”
Entertaining the highly vibrant and cheerful crowd were various performers who included Ntate Malapane, who was also contesting for the Mr Albinism title, Acapella Group and Royalty on Wheels.
Other winners were Paul Moroe and Sasekani Masingi who walked as Activists for Mr and Miss Albinism 2021/2022, while Mandisa Makunga and Khethang Moremohlo were announced as Ambassadors for Mr and Miss Albinism 2021/2022.
In closing Mphatswe thanked the audience and the event sponsors who included Vision Works, Ndoni Beauty and Gauteng Department of Social Development.
