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30/05/2018
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THE POST / 30 MAY 2018, 1:00PM / JOLENE MARRIAH-MAHARAJ
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Durban - Miss South Africa 2018 contestants Bryoni Govender and Karishma Ramdev may not have won the coveted title on Sunday, but have walked away stronger and more empowered young women.
Ramdev, 23, a fifth-year medical student of Chatsworth, and Govender, 21, a third-year law student of Johannesburg, have described their participation in the pageant as “life-changing”.
“It has been an amazing and phenomenal, and easily one of the greatest experiences of my life,” said Govender, who lives in Kempton Park.
“It taught me things about my myself; one of which is to see myself as more deserving or in a better light.”
Even though Govender said she woke up the morning of the event with the mindset of winning the crown, she was also happy, content and calm.
“The month we spend preparing for the competition develops a person that way.
“Even though I did not win I know that I gave it 100% and that was my best effort.”
Asked if she would consider entering the pageant again, Govender said it was “too early to tell”.
“I think I need to find out where my weak points were and improve on them, if I were to enter at another point.”
She described the after-party, where the girls mingled with at least 40 former Miss SA titleholders, as exciting.
The person that created an impression on her was Miss SA 2014 Rolene Strauss, who was also crowned Miss World that same year.
“She is so approachable and my dream is also to enter the Miss World one day.”
Ramdev, already catching up with her studies at the University of Pretoria, said “missing a month of medicine was no joke”, but she would definitely enter the pageant again.
Garnering tons of support on social media as a firm favourite, she said she woke up on the morning of the Miss SA finals with butterflies in her tummy.
“I was well prepared. I was happy and content and gave of my best.”
Ramdev posted a video of her family at the airport carrying a placard saying #Karishmafor MissSA which, she said, brought her to tears.
Ramdev said the Miss SA journey had been the biggest eye opener.
“People now know who I am, and I am so proud for showcasing myself as I gave it my best and I was truly myself - 100%, so I have not one single regret.”
She said meeting Miss SA 1997 Kerishnie Naicker and her mother Amra Naicker was also a dream, and they shared many things in common.
Naicker was the first Indian to be elected as Miss SA.
She placed fourth runner-up at Miss World 1998.
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