Miss South Africa 2020, the 62nd edition of Miss South Africa, will host its annual edition virtually in the month of August where the next delegate to represent South Africa at international pageants will be crowned. South Africa’s performance at the international beauty pageants has been incredible as the divas have always proven their worth in the competition and with their remarkable performances, they have taken home multiple titles, especially in the recent years.

Rebuilt under ‘Face your power, embrace your future’, stunning beauties will compete for the crown and the opportunities to represent South Africa in Miss Universe 2020, Miss Supranational 2020 and Miss World 2020. The Miss South Africa organization has announced the names of judges for the first round of the competition.

Melvarene Theron is one of the Top 35 delegates who is representing Eldos at Miss South Africa 2020 competition is vying for the title because she wants to use the platform to empower women and bring justice to the women who are still struggling. In her introduction video, Melvarene mentioned, “I’m from a middle-class family of five. My parents separated before I was a teen. My mother raised my two brothers and me for a good while before she remarried; she is a community activist, pastor, and the founder of “The women’s voice Eldorado Park”. My stepdad is a teacher, I have two brothers, both scholars aged 17 and 11. Together, the three of us were raised to practice love, kindness and respect.”

Melvarene is 25-years-old and has earned her degree from University of Johannesburg (UJ) LLB graduate and Gauteng Department of Roads and Public Transport. She works as a legal intern currently and wants to bring the change in the society and is very passionate about bringing a social change. She is very focused towards aligning justice and women empowerment as one objective. “I’m driven by the possibility of a just system and liberated women. My mission is to advocate for women and children’s rights and self-love,” Theron said.

Melvarene is inspired Miss South Africa 2015 Liesl Laurie and mentioned that she was inspired by her as she wanted to serve as a beacon of hope for her community and she did just that. Similar backgrounds of the two divas has most certainly given her a reason to want to part take in social change. When the entire world is coping up with the lockdown due to Covid19, Theron didn’t let this setback stop her from doing her thing and kept herself busy with various activities. “These served as coping mechanisms for me. Time with immediate family and online challenges also sharpened my baking skills,” she said.

The diva explained that this pandemic has taught everyone so many things but on a personal level, she has learnt that nothing is guaranteed, time is an expensive resource and she has also mentioned that she has started to be a little smart about money matters. Melvarene stated that this lockdown time has taught her to value what she has. She talks about that her natural hair journey is love project to herself.

In one of the recent interviews, she mentioned that she wants to eradicate corrupt and mentality of some people in South Africa. The diva is very inspired by Barack Obama who has surpassed the expectations of many people by his extraordinary efforts to strengthen the unity amongst mankind. She believes that beauty pageants tackle issues outside of beauty standards and the crowning really requires hard work and determination.

On asking about female role models in her life who have inspired her to work towards the change, diva stated, Daraleen James, founder of Yellow Ribbon Foundation (an organisation that fights against drugs and violence in Eldorado Park). Internationally- the late Rosa Parks who stood her ground against racism. Melvarene wants to meet Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, whom she describes as one of the finest Miss Universe in the history. She mentioned, “Her heart is fixed on the most helpless and vulnerable people. My admiration for her is derived from how selflessly she advocates for socio-economic issues.”

Melvarene is emerging as one of the strongest contender for the title and with her strong opinions, focused mindset, and desire to change the society for good, she could be win the title.