Seen and heard at some of the biggest industry events in South Africa for her love of pop culture and transgender visibility, multi-award winning Transgender activist and artist Yaya Mavundla has been billed to host Miss World South Africa red carpet alongside actor Lunga Shabalala & businessman Zareef Minty this October.
She is no stranger to pop culture and the world of beauty pageants. Mavundla who grew up around the world of beauty pageants remembers hosting her very own first pageant with her fellow high school mate in Untunjambili, Kranskop in 2003 where she grew up and attended her first phase of high schooling and went on to organise and sometimes participate at some of the Queer pageants in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Today she is afforded an opportunity to be part of a national pageant as a host and she details this as a moment of affirmation and to prove herself.
“For me this is a perfect opportunity to continuously prove to both myself and society that as a Transwoman I am just as capable and deserving of these opportunities equally as heterosexual people,” says Ms Mavundla. “To have a woman such as Carol Bouwer telling me that I am brilliant and trusting me for this job is life changing and great affirmation, I can’t wait to interview some of our favorite stars on the red carpet together with Lunga and Zareef.” Mavundla concluded.
Picture: Mellisa Mbambo
Carol Bouwer who is the license holder of Miss World South Africa emphasized on celebrating Mavundla as a transgender woman who is equally worthy of these opportunities and embodies Miss World South Africa values which shines a spotlight on beauty and intelligence amongst other things.
“Appointing Yaya for this mission is a reminder that being transgender is not fashion. We celebrate and love inclusion. It is absolutely essential for the young ones to see that they are worthy of opportunities no matter who they are” said Miss World South Africa CEO, Carol Bouwer.
The inaugural Miss World South Africa 2023 will be take place at The South African State Theatre in Pretoria and tickets are available at Webtickets.
Yaya is also billed to host the 2nd annual Queer Met featuring Jean Paul Gaultier happening on the 7th of October in Sandton.
2. Her exhibition Black, Trans & Bold returns to Constitution Hill on the 6th of October for Curated Makers Market.
3. She is nominated at the 5th Africa Choice Awards in Nigeria under viewers choice category.
Cece Smith 