Glamour Girl
Zenande Funani’s star keeps on rising
Beauty with brains Zenande Funani from Maclear, who has won several beauty pageants, is heading to Turkey later this year to represent SA in the Miss TV Start Model.
Maclear-born beauty Zenande Funani, 21, will jet off to Turkey later this year to represent South Africa in the Miss TV Start Model beauty pageant.
The final-year sports management student at the University of Johannesburg, has both beauty and brains.
She has been collecting crowns and sashes in beauty competitions from her early teens. Her first break came five years ago when she was crowned Miss Maclear.
In 2015 she was named Miss Elundini and the same year she made it to the
Eastern Cape.
“Entering beauty pageants has always been my first love and over the years, I have discovered that it is deeper than just outside appearance.
“It teaches discipline and I have also learnt how to use my beauty for greater good and to help others,” said Funani.
While making name for herself finals of Miss in the modelling industry, and after being crowned an ambassador for Miss Teen Commonwealth in Pretoria in 2016, she started the Funani Foundation, which assists in shaping the lives of local youngsters in Maclear.
Her foundation helps raise university registration funds for school pupils, and so far Funani said the foundation had paid for two students.
“We also groom young boys and girls who have an interest in the modelling industry by showing them the ropes,” said Funani.
After a short break from modelling, Funani returned to beauty pageants last year with the Miss TV Start Model South Africa where selection for Turkey took place.
“I was inspired go back to my first love when I accompanied my younger sister who participated in the Miss Pre-teen Glam International.”
The vibrant beauty queen recently signed a deal with Mahindra as an ambassador for the automotive manufacturer’s East London branch.
This deal she landed after casually uploading pictures of herself with her new Mahindra, a gift from her father for her 21st birthday a few weeks ago.
“I shared the pictures on social media pages and was contacted by Mahindra with the offer and the deal was sealed,” she said. Funani, along with foundation protegee Tazley Grewe, who is also from Maclear, will be heading to Turkey in October.