Johannesburg - Natasha Joubert always dreamt of being Miss South Africa, but the moment the crown was finally placed on her head exceeded her expectations.
“I have always manifested being crowned at the SunBet Arena because it is my home ground and just about 20 minutes away from home, so I got to share that moment with so many of my friends and family,” the 26-year-old brunette beauty told the “Saturday Star” this week.
“I felt such a special energy and it really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I can’t even explain.”
The BCom Marketing Management graduate and fashion entrepreneur was named as the new Miss SA on Sunday during a glittering ceremony at Time Square in Pretoria.
The Miss SA runner-up was Johannesburg’s Bryoni Govender, who was also the Motherkind fitness award winner.
Meanwhile, apart from Joubert’s new prestigious title, she also received R1 million in cash in a prize and sponsorship package that includes the use of a serviced apartment at the lavish Brookfield at Royal in Kensington – developed by Tricolt – for the year of her reign. She will also get to drive a Mercedes-Benz GLC as well as go on a trip to Paris sponsored by L’Oréal.
And while the glitz and glamour of being crowned Miss SA is something that the Gauteng beauty is still growing accustomed to, she insisted that she is eager to get to work.
“I want to prioritise education during my reign and I want to secure more bursaries for students in need,” Joubert said.
She is also thrilled about the opportunity to travel and the chance to meet new people.
“I love people and building new connections and I am looking forward to building new relationships during my time as Miss SA.”
Joubert admitted that it took much hard work and sacrifice to reach this point. She originally entered Miss SA back in 2020 and while she was unsuccessful at taking the crown at the time, she believes that the setback allowed her to become a better version of herself.
“I think that when I first entered Miss SA in 2020 I was a bit naive as to what it entails to become a Miss SA, but I have since learnt so much and this time, I didn’t go into it blindly.”
“This time I also got the chance to delve deeper into my sense of purpose and I got to see exactly what it will take to be Miss SA.”
Joubert added that the Miss SA television show, “Crown Chasers”, which aimed to place the beauty and empowerment finalists in real-life scenarios and challenges, also prepared her for her reign.
“The challenges in ‘Crown Chasers’, like the shoots, Ted Talks and speaking at schools, really helped me a lot and helped me see that being Miss SA is a constant job with no days off.”
In addition, being crowned Miss SA during Women’s Month was also significant and sentimental for Joubert. This is particularly because she is a woman entrepreneur herself as she started her own fashion design house, Natalia Jefferys, when she was just 19 years old.
“I think that it is so important for women to cultivate a mindset of independence and to not just follow society standards but to rather do something that they are passionate about,” Joubert said.
“I love fashion and I am so blessed to do something that I love and I want to inspire others to do the same.”
And during this Women’s Month, the new Miss SA wants the nation’s women to “be unapologetic”.
“Don’t be afraid to take up space and don’t make yourself smaller than you are for anyone,” Joubert said.
“We have so many inspirational women in South Africa, like Banyana Banyana, to look up to.”
For those who wish to follow in the new Miss SA’s footsteps, Joubert has the following advice: “To all the young girls who have a dream, my message is for them to be unapologetic about who they are and what they want to achieve.”