Beauty, brains and the heart to be Mrs SA Finalist Rene Roberts-Patel regards the beauty pageant as a life-changing experience, writes
RENE Roberts-Patel’s childhood in Mitchells Plain wasn’t the easiest. Shooting incidents were “normal” and stories of young girls getting raped were rampant. The world of beauty pageants became a way for her to survive her environment, and today Roberts-Patel is one of 25 contestants who will be competing for the title of Mrs South Africa later this year.
Her life on the Cape Flats moulded her into the strong woman she is today – a mom, wife and entrepreneur. Teaching her not to allow her circumstances to determine her future, says the 38-year-old Roberts-Patel.
“Beauty pageants kept me busy and focused. I also really enjoyed sport at school so I played every single sport that was available at that time… and went to church on Sundays.”
She recalls fond memories of walking to Westridge High School in Mitchells Plain. “We would wake up at the crack of dawn, make our own school lunches and make sure we got to school on time. I also remember the riots in the ’90s, the tear gas… and all the beauty pageants I entered and won.”
“I remember winning a much needed computer for my high school. And representing my high school at a leadership programme on Robben Island,” RobertsPatel says.
Her first beauty pageant was the Miss Shoprite Spring Queen at the age of 13. “I worked at Shoprite Town Centre in Mitchells Plain and got entered into the pageant by the management staff. They believed I could win the title but I ended up being the first princess, which was not bad for a first timer,” she recalls.
Since then, Roberts-Patel has gone on to compete in numerous beauty competitions, from representing the Western Cape in the Miss South Africa competition to running her own modelling and grooming school. Now living in Joburg with her husband Alpesh Patel and two daughters Shanti and Omala, the beauty queen is not just a pretty
face but is also serious about education and reading as an ambassador for Read to Rise in Joburg.
“There are still over 200 schools in Soweto that need books. We go into the forgotten areas of Soweto and target these schools, focusing on the Grade 3 pupils.
“We read to them, sing and also give them books… and for some it’s the first reading book they’ve ever owned,” she says.
“The fun art of entering beauty pageants is getting dressed up in beautiful gowns and having your hair and make-up done. I really enjoyed the applause from the crowd when I stepped out onto the stage. My least favourite part was the question and answer part where we had to answer questions.
“It was definitely an expensive hobby and job but luckily for me my mom is a very good seamstress. She made every single dress I wore for the pageants. I would borrow her make-up, mostly blush, mascara and lipstick… the only things I needed in those days,” she says.
She says her mother remains one of her biggest influences. “One lesson that I learnt as a child which still affects my life today is the power of a woman. My mother basically raised my sister and me as my father, who was a marine engineer, would be at sea for months at a time. She gave up her day job to look after us. She in essence played a father-mother role all the time.”
“She has taught me so much, which is always motivating and encouraging me to achieve my goals and to never give up on my dreams,” says Roberts-Patel.
A hundred hopefuls started their quest for the title in March. Over the months and through various projects, the women have been fundraising for the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa). Roberts-Patel will be hosting a “Pink Tie” fundraising event for Cansa on Sunday at The Sands in Sandton.
Marc Lottering will be the MC for the afternoon and entertainment includes the likes of Chad Saaiman and LeAnne Dlamini.
“Mrs South Africa is a pageant but most of all it’s a women empowerment programme. A beauty queen’s key qualities are being a good ambassador to the women you represent and having a good heart.
“During the months I had the opportunity to change a special person’s life forever and details of that will be the big announcement for the day. The competition has also given me the opportunity to use this platform to do amazing things; things that I wouldn’t have done. That is why I’d like to encourage other married women to enter. It’s definitely a lifechanging experience and I’m enjoying every minute of it,” she adds.
Find her on her official Facebook page Rene Roberts-Patel Mrs SA Finalist or on Instagram and Twitter at @renerp2.