Exclusive: Getting to Know Danielle Marais, Top 30 Miss SA Contestant
- Miss SA top 30 Finalist, Danielle Marais, sat down with Briefly News for an exclusive and in-depth interview
- The beauty queen opened up about her background as well as what she hopes to do with the Miss SA platform if given the opportunity
- Closing things off, the lovely Marais shared that her biggest dream was to continue creating employment opportunities for the woman of South Africa
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Briefly News sat down with Miss SA Top 30 Finalist, Danielle Marais. The Johannesburg beauty is an avid businesswoman and marketing graduate who prides herself in the desire to empower other women through entrepreneurship.
Source: UGC
Heading to an online Q&A session, the beauty queen charmingly introduced herself:
"I am 24 from Joburg. I have a double major Honours degree Cum Laude in Marketing & Entrepreneurship. I am a brand manager across 14 African countries. My passion is my charity WalkInFreedom of which I am the CEO & founder (female empowerment through entrepreneurship)"
Marais shared that her advocacy work is focused on creating employment in Mzansi and fighting issues of gender-based violence in our much-beloved country. The young woman especially hopes to empower other women through her work.
If given the opportunity, she hopes to highlight these issues on the Miss SA platform.
"I will use the Miss SA platform to amplify my efforts addressing unemployment, GBV and a secure future for the next generation through female economic empowerment. Miss SA will allow me to reach my long term goals of female empowerment in SA," she wrote.
Briefly News just had to get the scoop on all the other Miss SA contestants. Asked what the relationship dynamics amongst the Top 30 Finalists was like, Marais shared that it was nothing but love between the group of girls.
"Even though we have not met in person due to Covid-19 safety precautions, we have bonded over sharing this same journey! We check in on each other, share tips on books & podcast to listen to and just all around encourage each other, they are such strong women"
Closing things off, Marais shared that her biggest goal would be to continue creating employment opportunities in the country. The beauty queen certainly wants nothing but for her country to prosper.
"Even though this is an unrealistically big dream, I aim to create employment opportunities for all South Africans within the next 20 years. I want to see every South African prosper," she enthusiastically wrote.
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Meet Lehlogonolo Machaba, the 1st openly trans woman to compete in Miss SA
In related news, Briefly News previously reported that Lehlogonolo Machaba has made history by becoming the first transgender woman to enter Miss SA.
Lehlogonolo Machaba, 24, from Oskraal, Letlhabile in the North West Province says she is humbled to be the first transgender woman selected to compete in Miss SA and hopes she paves a way to inspire others.
Earlier this year, organisers said the competition will be open to transgender entrants on the condition that they are in possession of a valid South African identity document reflecting their amended sex as female, according to SABC News.
With documents in hand, Machaba decided she'd enter this year. Her role model is her mother Caroline, who is a gender-based violence survivor and works as a supervisor of service aid at a public hospital.
Speaking with Sowetan Live, Machaba divulged that she works as a model booker at Invade Models. She is also the founder and owner of the DeMollies fashion brand.
The incredible 24-year-old has a diploma in fashion design technology from Tshwane University of Technology.
Machaba hopes to continue being an advocate for the LGBTQ community
Machaba has big dreams for herself, expressing her deep hope to inspire little girls just like her. The amazing woman says that if given the opportunity at Miss SA, she'll continue advocating for all members of the LGBTQ community.
“Transgender women are almost always ostracised from such opportunities, which is why I never thought I’d see anyone like myself on such a platform. I believe that being chosen would raise hope in a lot of little girls like myself,” Machaba said.
“Through the Miss SA platform, I'd be able to advocate for the LGBTQIA community and more specifically queer-identifying women. I would use this opportunity to empower every marginalised person and become a beacon of hope for young girls.”
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Source: Briefly News
