Durban teacher Andrea Morrison on vying for Miss SA 2024 crown
When Andrea Morrison reminisces about her childhood days, she recalls spending most of her time with her cousins playing dolls house, school and practising for the game show, “Friends Like These”, in case they ended up there one day.
“We also created our own girl group inspired by Destiny’s Child; the only problem was we all wanted to be Beyoncé. We also played modelling; I had the worst walk so it would always make them laugh.
“I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to be, however, one thing that never changed was that I always knew I wanted to be independent,” said Morrison.
Her love for beauty and fashion was influenced by her mom as she would watch her get ready for work, trying out different styles and hair colours.
“She would always line her lips, which is something I religiously do now. She had the best outfits and the best waistline. I also loved watching fashion television with my sister. At the time there were not many black models.
“So when I saw Jourdan Dunn, Chanel Iman and Joan Smalls walking in the shows and being the face of brands and products it made me feel more open to the idea and I felt like I also belonged. I always wanted to be the face of a beauty brand,” she said.
The 25-year-old, who lives in Shallcross, spent most of her childhood in Chatsworth. She has a Bachelor of Education and an Honours degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is a high school English teacher.
Morrison said she could be very assertive when it came to things she was passionate about such as bringing about equality in schools in South Africa.
“As an educator, I try my best to guide my learners by motivating and challenging them to be their best inside and outside the classroom; encouraging kindness amongst them and authenticity; motivating them to help those who are in need; fundraising for underprivileged learners; donating clothes, shoes, blankets, and food to underprivileged students; and preparing them for the real world,” she said.
Asked why it is important for her to wear the Miss South Africa 2024 crown, Morrison said: “It’s important for me because of what I intend on doing with the platform. I hope to raise awareness and get the attention of the Department of Education to aid my course, working hand in hand with the Miss SA organisation.
“Education has taken a back burner in this country. If we truly believe it is the key to a brighter future we need to invest in our schools, teachers, and learners. They need support.”
“We are at the front line of education, therefore we know exactly what is not working and how it needs to be fixed. The DoE is talking about the inclusion of technology in education and we are looking at adding additional subjects.
“How is it possible we are looking at making such drastic changes when there are schools without the basic needs, who don’t even have basic resources to implement the requirements of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS)?
“There are schools that don’t even have proper facilities for daily running. A lot needs to change,” she said.
On being in the Miss SA top 30, Morrison said she was grateful but that it still didn’t feel real. She said it was something she had dreamt about for the longest time and couldn’t believe it was finally happening.
Morrison said her biggest influence in the modelling industry today was Naomi Campbell: “She’s everything. What she does with her platform is amazing. She uses her voice and her platform to help others. She is not just a model, she’s multifaceted.”
And her beauty secrets?
“The first one is beauty starts within. Be kind to others; being a pushover is not the same thing so make sure you still stand up for yourself,” she said.
“Secondly, less is more when it comes to skincare. Your body is already working for you so all you need to do is support it with certain products it needs, not everything TikTok recommends.
“Invest in good skincare products, get to the root of the problem, and don't try to mask it or cover it up. Lastly, be confident, confidence is the best accessory.”