Cape Town - Tears of joy and elated cheering were the order of the day when Miss South Africa 2020 Shudufhadzo Musida graduated with a BA Honours degree in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand this week.
The graduation ceremony, which took place days apart from her birthday, was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Musida was a guest of the Wits Vice-Chancellor, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi.
Musida said the day was the culmination of a dream that her beloved great-grandmother had for her.
"Growing up in Ha-Masia, deep in the heart of Vhembe District in Limpopo, Gugu always stressed that education was a fundamental stepping stone to success. How proud she would have been of me, her little Abi (I was known as Abigail as a child), who has earned this university degree," said Musida.
Musida has a Bachelor of Social Science degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the University of Pretoria.
Musida is a well-known advocate for mental health awareness and this year launched her online mental health initiative, #Mindful Mondays, in conjunction with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group and Discovery Vitality.
Musida said empowerment and leadership formed the cornerstone of the Miss South Africa Organisation.
Asked for her opinion on active citizenship, she described how she had recently addressed the UN Generation Equality Forum, discussing issues of mental health, during the global launch of the “Education Plus” Joint Initiative, set up to empower adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa to confront the HIV epidemic.
"We all have to engage with the issues plaguing our world. We all need to be active citizens. If we don’t take up the fight, who will?” she said.
As the reigning Miss South Africa 2020, Musida will be participating in the 70th edition of the Miss World pageant to be held on December 16 this year at the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Rolene Strauss, who took the title in 2014.