The Miss Earth South Africa programme advocates the development of young women in South Africa as environmental ambassadors or warriors.
Katete is a Gauteng-born earth warrior who recently completed her Bachelors in Architectural Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand and hopes to complete her Honours and Masters degree in Architecture over the next few years.
L’Oreal Magro is the 2019 first runner-up and currently busy with her PhD in Sociology at the University of Johannesburg, she tutors and lectures part-time in the field of clinical sociology and population, health and the environment.
There is no shortage of academic excellence amongst this remarkable group as second runner-up, Moratwe Masima who originally hails from Midrand but is currently based in Stellenbosch where she is in her final year of medicine at the University of Stellenbosch.
And completing the winner’s platform is KZN’s Victoria Soutar who is currently studying for her Master’s in Agricultural Science at the University of KZN.
In a video message to guests, Professor Thuli Madonsela said: “It is all our responsibility to understand small inaction can have grave consequences for the country, continent and the world.” She went on to say that: “These young women of the Miss Earth programme have the greatest commitment to creating change.”
It has been an intense few months for the finalists who have been hard at work, with a mission to change the perception and understanding of climate change, the impact of environmental degradation and the crucial waste, water and food security paradigm. Through the #WasteStopsWithMe campaign, finalists have been on the ground in cities and communities including Johannesburg, Tshwane, Tembisa, Hartebeespoort, Cape Town, Soweto, Edenvale, the Midlands in KZN and Zakariya Park, Midrand and Bosmont.
Just a week before the world takes to the streets in the global Climate Strike set for Friday, 20 September 2019 and after the world was pained to see the burning of the central African belt and the Amazon rainforests, the Miss Earth South Africa heeds the call now more than ever to ensure that civil society own their voice in the climate emergency we are faced with.
Young women from across the country apply to the programme each year and by so doing they commit themselves to a year of service to their communities, the cities and townships in which they reside as they embark on a journey that certainly does change them forever.
Ella Bella Leite, director of the programme, said: “Finalists demonstrate clear leadership qualities, creative thinking, the strength of the mind and a character – most importantly, a passion for making a sustainable difference in their communities. Every year it is immensely rewarding to see the growth and influence of the Miss Earth South Africa programme, over a period of 15 years we can confidentially say that we have empowered, educated and encouraged young women from around South Africa to become environmental ambassadors and role models in their communities as they continue their journey as conscious-minded citizens who will have impact wherever they go because this programme equips them to do just that.”
And there she is! Dearest South Africa.... Your #MissEarthSouthAfrica 2019. Lungo Katete, feisty, fearless & flawless in every way. So excited for the yr that is about to unfold. This WITS Architecture Graduate is about to set the world ablaze! #MissEarth2019 #WasteStopsWithME pic.twitter.com/TemHOXfltp
— Miss Earth South Africa (@missearth_sa) September 14, 2019
“We are faced with a climate emergency and we have no time to lose; we believe that these young women will take the greening minds into every sphere of their communities and platforms of influence as they set the agenda and shift behaviour, mindsets and the future we strive for. Their time is now.”
