University of the Western Cape Alumna Seeks Miss World Title

Nande Mabala once called the University of the Western Cape (UWC) KOVACS residence home. Soon, she hopes to call one of the most prestigious beauty pageant stages home.

Mabala is one of the top 10 finalists in Miss World South Africa 2024. This pageant, which is separate from the Miss South Africa competition, selects the woman who will represent South Africa at Miss World 2024.

In August last year, Mabala was crowned second princess in the Miss South Africa competition, and her beauty queen dreams are continuing.

The 26-year-old from Worcester in the Western Cape is a model and social media entrepreneur. In 2011, she left UWC with a triple major BA in Sociology, Politics, and Industrial Psychology.

She says she made lifelong friends and memories at UWC: “The first time I had the chicken salad at Nopies (Nompumelelo’s Coffee Shop) in B-Block, I also met some of my lifelong friends at UWC. I fondly recall doing a three-week course in entrepreneurship, and then we ended up helping to open a store after hosting a fashion show.”

Mabala and a friend who studied Law at UWC started an NGO that immediately tackled the issue of gender-based violence. In partnership with the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation, they led a march to Parliament that resulted in legal reform for women in South Africa.

She continued to tackle social change and justice initiatives and launched the Go Green project.

“I’m currently working with the school in my community. It’s Siyafuneka Primary School (in Worcester), and along with 40 students, we are building a farm on the school grounds. Sixty per cent of children will start grade R and don’t end up matriculating, and one of the main reasons why is because of food insecurity.”

Mabala said she started in her community by solving a social problem and wants to take her solution to the global stage. She also wants to inspire young people, especially in townships nationwide, to dream big.