Pan Africanism to me is how we embrace ourselves, how we embrace our cultures, our Africanism and being very, very proud of it. That's what I think of when I think of Pan Africanism and just putting ourselves forward and representing ourselves in a beautiful light. Because I feel, you know, for a very long time when people think about Africa and what Africa is, it's usually hearing it from a different perspective of someone else who wrote our story and doesn't really know, you know, who we are and what we stand for.

How has your culture informed your passions and creative journey?

As a South African, we grow up with a saying of Ubuntu, you know, our humanity. And I think a lot of the things that I do come from, you know, that notion of my life, and so I mean, I remember when I entered Miss South Africa first and people asked me: “Why did you go through this journey of Miss South Africa and Miss Universe?” You know, “what was the reason?” And for me, I always tell them, it's not because I thought I was the most beautiful woman in South Africa, the universe, but it was because of what I could do with, you know, with the platform, how I would use my voice to sort of, you know, help out humanity, but also be creative in that space as well. It was because of that notion of humanity that has been instilled in our cultures for a very long time — I felt like it was important to bring it into, you know, this space as well. And a lot of people who know me know that wherever I go, I love representing South Africa, Africa, you know, my culture, whether it's in the clothing that I wear, or in the stories that I tell, it will always be influenced by who I am as a Xhosa woman.

There were a couple of challenges. For one I was entering a space that really wasn't used to a woman who looks like me, and by that, I mean, you know, with the kind of hairstyle that I have, they've never really, you know, had a woman win with this kind of hair, and it naturally was really not a space for a lot of black women. I mean, if you look at Miss Universe, there's only, I think I'm the sixth black woman to ever win Miss Universe and the competition has been running for so many years. 

And so, it's not even 10 of us and there's so many Miss Universes, and so it was challenging in the sense that if you try anything new, it makes people uncomfortable if that is their usual comfort space.And so, what happens is I came into the space and sort of disturbed what was seen as a norm by you know, supporters and pageant fans. And so it was challenging to be this person who came in to shake his ground because it made people uncomfortable and so through their discomfort you know, they would then say harsh words, you know, being bullied a lot in this space as well when I came in because it's just something that they were not used to and they didn't want to see it there.

How important do you think it is for Black girls to be themselves in a world that constantly reminds them that they are not enough?

It's very important for black girls to be themselves in a space that constantly, you know, tells us that we're not supposed to be there. You're not enough. You're not supposed to look this way. You're not supposed to act this way. It's so important for us to force ourselves into those spaces because we've been knocking gently for such a long time, if they don't want to open them which is going to kick you know, these doors open. It's important for us to come as we are into these spaces, just to sort of allow other people or give other people , permission to know that it is okay to arrive as you know, your true self, whatever that may look like.

As former Miss SA and Miss Universe, which is in essence, a part of the creative industry. What influence do you think beauty pageants have on geopolitical roles?

I think beauty pageants have a huge influence in the sense that when you do win this Miss South Africa and Miss Universe to be specific, I’ll speak on those because those are the ones that I did, is when you get to the platform, you get to a space where you know, the whole world is paying attention. They're listening to you. They want to know what you think. They want to know what you're doing. And so, I think it comes with a huge responsibility of being on that platform. And so that's why it's still relevant today. Even you know, to use it as wisely as possible. I feel like that's how I've been using it and I've seen, you know, a couple of other women who have come into this platform use it.

I am a creative myself, and I feel like that is a space that has not been really taken as seriously as it should. Because I mean, if we're being honest, if we look at the most influential people in the world today, it is mostly creatives. You know, whether it's an actor or musician, they’re creatives. They have so much influence you know, when they speak, people listen, and so it was so important for me to be there just to kind of remind people how important you know, creativity, and creatives are for you know, the world. And so it was so important for me to be a part of this, you know, Creative Summit, just to sort of remind people that this is an important platform and that world leaders and people should use creatives to push these important messages out in the world because these are the people who essentially have the influence.

What do you think of the role that CANEX in the Intra African Trade Fair are playing to connect creatives to global opportunities?

They play a huge role in connecting creatives to global opportunities, because there were so many different people there who came from different walks of life. I mean, I was able to be introduced to people of the African diaspora as well that I wouldn't have necessarily known hadn’t I gone there. And I think it's so important to just keep letting people know about these spaces like this because that is the only way that we're able to move forward, is that if we connect, and we make these networks, that's how we're then able to push, you know, the African creative agenda forward. And so, it really does help because there were a couple of connections that were made at the event. So yeah, very, very important.

I like to binge watch a lot. When I get free time. I look for whatever it is. At the moment, I'm watching a lot of anime, so that's what I've been doing to unwind. I also read, although I haven't read in a very long time, I need to get back into it, which is really one of my favourite things to do when I have downtime. I like to be around my people as well. You know, my friends, family, I love food a lot. And so, whenever I get a chance to go restaurant hopping, I will do that with my people as well. But I think it's about the people that I surround myself with more than anything, so it doesn't matter what we're doing as long as I'm doing it with you know, the people that I love.

And the festive season is upon us. What are some of your plans for the December holidays?

I don't really have a lot of plans for the December holidays. I just know that I'm going to be going home. I've never spent, you know, Christmas away from home except only once actually, after I’d just won Miss Universe, that was the only time. But other than that, I always make sure to spend Christmas with the family tradition, to be with family during that time because it gets so busy in the middle of the year, and we hardly get a chance to see each other. And so, we always make it a point to see each other during Christmas and the festive season. And so that's what I'm going to be doing just spending time with them. Nothing exciting, or different, same old, same old.

What message do you have for upcoming female content creators and creatives? 

Continue being creative. Do not give up on it, do not let it go because I know a lot of people will tell you that there's no future and creativity, which is wrong because that's exactly where you know, where the future is. And my biggest advice would be to network you know, meet other creatives like you, collaborate. Look for people who have the same interest as you, look for people who have different interests as well and just collaborate and see what beautiful magic that you can create.