Miss SA Runner-Up Bryoni Govender :“When You Have a Dream, Believe It, Don’t Let Anyone Take It From You"

• Miss South Africa's runner-up Bryoni Govender shares her journey of not giving up on her dream to make it in this pageant
• Her return to the competition, her empowering message to young women, and her commitment to advocacy ignite hope
• Speaking to Briefly News, she aims to fight for underrepresented voices and plans to use her legal expertise to help empower women

Bryoni Govender, the first runner-up in Miss South Africa, is the definition of beauty and brains.

Miss SA runner-up's inspiring journey

Govender, originally from Kempton Park in Johannesburg, reached the final two in the competition. She became the runner-up to Natasha Joubert, who was crowned Miss SA on Sunday, August 13th. The event occurred at the Sun Bet Arena, Time Square Menlyn, in Tshwane, which Briefly News attended.

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When the time came for the winner of Miss SA to be announced, Govender reflected on how calm she was.

"I was calm and very aware of my surroundings. When I made it to the top three, I was very happy. Whether or not I made it into the top two, I felt like I was already a winner."

When asked if she would be representing the country at Miss Universe, she said there was no confirmation as yet:

"There is no official confirmation as yet, although Miss Universe announced it on the page, an official announcement regarding this will be made by Miss SA. However, the odds do count in my favour."

This is the second time the 26-year-old has participated in the beauty pageant. She reflected on why she decided to re-enter the competition five years later.

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"When I entered in 2018, I was only 21 years old. When I didn't make it, I felt disheartened and went through a grieving process. This time around, I entered again because it crossed my path."

"I like to think of myself as a free-spirited person who goes with the flow yet also structured in a way."

"I concentrated on my law studies, completed my attorney articles, and focused solely on my career. My articles ended in May, and I applied for a permanent position which I got."

" Initially, when I entered Miss SA, I wasn't actively engaged. But this year, when I saw the entries open, it tugged at my heartstrings. I didn't want to live with the fear of regret."

"I thought about it and realised the platform could be used for empowerment. The influence of events from 5 years ago, in 2018, made me reflect. I left behind everything that happened back then. For me, it was like a completely new beginning of entering Miss SA."

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The beauty queen is passionate about helping underrepresented communities that don't often get a voice.

" I got a lot of messages from women who I inspired. I want to restore hope to these communities and show them that competitions like this can help someone's dreams come true and, through my platform, inspire other women."

Future plans for Miss SA runner-up Bryoni Govender

Now, Govender plans to combine her legal skills and entrepreneurial drive to open opportunities for women across South Africa.

"Being an entrepreneur helps with connections while being an attorney provides skills. No matter my path, my degree can be used for advocating legal and business rights."

"I aim to empower women by educating them about their legal rights."

She also aims to use her platform to break stereotypes of darker-skinned women.

"I view my rich melanin skin as my power. During my Miss SA journey, I learned to embrace more colours and be proud of my skin tone.

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"If you check my Instagram, you'll see I now wear bright greens and yellows that highlight my skin."

"With my platform, I aim to celebrate my melanin even more. I want to spread the message that your power isn't defined by the shade of your skin ."

Govender said she wants to use her platform to empower women, and her message for young girls who want to follow in her footsteps is:

"Life experiences are the best teachers. Give yourself chances. When you dream, believe and don't let anyone stop you. You can achieve whatever you want."

Comeback contestant Natasha Joubert was crowned the new Miss SA after competing again, Mzansi divided on winner

In similar stories, Briefly News reported about second-time participant Natasha Joubert stepped up and was named the new Miss SA Joubert.

A fashion model and businesswoman shocked the nation when she beat the tough competition to come out tops at the event, which Briefly News attended.

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Mzansi was unconvinced that she won and cried that the pageant was staged.

Source: Briefly News