Johannesburg - It has been over a week since Lalela Mswane was crowned Miss Supranational during a glittering ceremony at the Strzelecki Park Amphitheatre in Nowy Sącz, Poland.
And the news of her new title is finally starting to set in for the reigning Miss South Africa (Miss SA).
“It is finally starting to sink in that it's a new chapter in my life,” the KwaZulu-Natal beauty told The Saturday Star.
“I am excited, and more than anything, I am living in gratitude, and I am very optimistic about what's to come.”
The 24-year-old made history last week when she became the first black woman in history to win Miss Supranational, an annual international female beauty pageant.
The beauty competition started in 2009, and with most contests held in Poland and a parallel male contest, Mister Supranational, began in 2016, also in Poland.
“The crown is not just mine. It belongs to South Africa and to all the women all over the world who have felt small, who have felt unheard or unseen,” Mswane said.
“Being the first black woman to win this title truly affirms that all of our dreams are valid, and we are all capable of achieving anything we set our minds to, especially people who have felt like it’s not possible.
“In this industry, largely, there have been women of colour who have felt excluded, and for me to achieve this, it's something that reflects the power of our dreams and asserting yourself in places you feel like you belong.”
Mswane, who is also a dancer, model and Bachelor of Law graduate, joined elite company when she was crowned Miss Supranational as she followed in the footsteps of Zozibini Tunzi, Demi-Leigh Tebow and Rolene Strauss, who beat out beauty queens from around the globe to walk away with international pageant crowns over the past eight years alone.
Of the former Miss SA’s, Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe in 2019 and Tebow was the titleholder in 2017.
During the pageant, Mwane represented South Africa against contestants from 69 other countries and will now go on to succeed Chanique Rabe of Namibia, who won the title last year.
“I think South Africans perform so well because of the South African spice and flavour,” she believes.
The beauty queen also attributed the nation’s work ethic as one of the big reasons they perform so well in international pageants.
“No South African representative goes on any international stage or platform unprepared, and the officials leave no stone unturned. We all put in so much work and effort into what we do, and I do think it reflects through the results.”
As the newly crowned Miss Supranational winner, Mwane will now be on the selection panel for Mister Supranational, and while she was sworn in, she rocked her Miss SA gown.
“With this title, my priority is to advance the goals and objectives of the Miss Supranational organisation, which align with being an inspirational and aspirational woman,” she said.
“Supranational means having power and influence which transcends national boundaries, and the organisation is looking for someone who is not afraid to speak up and to act on causes that are worthy globally.”
Apart from the Richards Bay-born stunner’s credentials and breathtaking beauty, her national costume also had the Miss Supranational judges and audience in awe.
The creation paid tribute to her Zulu heritage and was designed by Cape Town-based Lloyd Kandlin, the director of the Costume Department.
“My national costume was colourful because I descend from the Zulu tribe, and the colour is synonymous with the Zulu people, but South Africa is also known as the rainbow nation, so how better to depict that in the national dress.
“The silhouette was also form fitting for that feminie touch and the headpiece made horse African hair which was beaded so I think that it brought everything together to celebrate African people,” she said.
Mwane hopes to continue to inspire young girls and encourage them to keep dreaming.
“My advice to young girls is to allow their feet to lead them to where their heart desires and insert themselves firmly in those places,'' she said.
“If myself, a small village girl can be crowned Miss SA, come third at Miss Universe and be the first black woman to win Miss Supranational, then they can achieve anything and they should be relentless in pursuit of what they desire.”