Bio
Gugulethu Banda is a South African model best known for being one of the Top 12 finalists in the 2015 Miss South Africa pageant.
Miss SA Bio
Age: 21
From: Spruitview, Gauteng
Occupation
I am currently studying towards a BA Tourism Development at the University of Johannesburg and I am in my first year. The reason I enrolled for this particular qualification is because of my love for travel and tourism. I aspire to be a part of the South African tourism industry and be a business woman in that field. I want to contribute towards making South Africa's tourism sector bigger than it already is.
I am also working part time as a Wing team member for Redbull.
Why do you want to be Miss SA and what do you think you will be able to bring to the role?
The reason I want to be Miss South Africa is because I strongly believe in beauty pageants being a representation of a woman's inner and outer beauty. Miss South Africa should inspire and empower women, both young and old, as well as represent their country in the best possible way.
I could do exactly that if given the platform.
Who is a previous Miss SA who has inspired you and why?
Basetsana Kumalo inspires me. During her reign she used the platform as a stepping stone to build herself as a woman and a brand. Today she is one of South Africa's most successful women and that alone inspires me. I am working towards being a successful businesswoman and she is my role model.
Melinda Bam is also an inspiration. She brought authenticity to the Miss South Africa Pageant without having a pageant queen background. I can relate to that. She is a hard worker and one of my favourite people.
Who are your role models/who has inspired you and why?
Basetsana Kumalo because she is a strong and hard working woman who has grown abundantly throughout the years. Also my mother who is supportive of everything I do. She instils positivity in me. She knows what to say and when to say it. She motivates me to do everything I want to do to the best of my ability.
Tell us a bit more about your family.
My mother is family orientated and loves cooking and doing chores around the house. She puts her family first and my father was exactly like my mother before he passed away earlier this year.
I have two older brothers. One is 27; he is self-employed and lives in Mpumalanga. The other is 29 and he works for SASA as an administrative clerk. My mother is a secretary at a company of attorneys.
What do you do in your spare time?
I have a part time job which takes up most of my spare time. I read magazines, listen to music and spend time with family and friends.
What is your message to young girls and young women in South Africa?
We are very privileged to have been given the ability, as well as the opportunities, to be exactly what we want to be. With that said anything is possible when you have a positive mind-set to match the capacity of your dreams.
If you won the Miss SA crown and was able to meet one person, who would it be and why?
I would want to meet the woman who inspires me, Basetsana Khumalo. I would like to sit down with her and take notes as to how she got to where she is today. She inspires me to work harder in order to be the woman I want to be.
What is the one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
People would be surprised to know that I am actually really shy, but become goofy once I get comfortable with people. I am also a really bad dancer.
What are you reading?
I am reading The Apple of his Eye by JoAnne Simmons, a book given to me by my best friend for my birthday this year.
What music do you listen to?
I listen to different genres of music. There is some hip hop and a bit of House and some slow jams. My most played album is currently, Souled Out by Jhene Aiko.
Your favourite TV show?
Although I love watching reality TV shows and crime investigation channels, my favourite TV show is Cooking with Siba.
Your favourite meal?
I love pasta and sushi.