With more than 4 000 women across the country having entered the Clicks Beauty Cover Model Search Competition for 2017, North-West University (NWU) employee Penelope Motshwene was recently crowned the winner – “the fairest of them all”.
The Clicks Beauty Cover Model Search competition is an annual contest where women between the ages of 18 and 30 compete to be on the cover of the Clicks beauty leaflet.
”I was extremely happy after being announced the winner,” says Penelope, head of the NWU’s Students with Disabilities Unit. “I realised that dreams really do come true.”She describes her experience in the competition as a walk in the park. “Everything was a breeze. From the entry, right to the phone call I received informing me of my victory,” she says.
Penelope adds that she entered the competition to fulfil her lifelong dream of being an established model. “My love and passion for modelling drove me to enter the competition,” she says.
Coming from KwaNdebele, a small village in Mpumalanga, Penelope studied at the University of Pretoria where she obtained her degree in social work. She says she has always wanted to be a model, but initially did not have the confidence to follow this dream.
However, as she got older, she started to gain the courage to chase after what she wanted.
“I kicked-off my modelling career in 2014. After spending quite some time getting myself ready to enter the Miss South Africa pageant, I learned that I did not meet some of the requirements, but that did not discourage me from pushing forward,” she says.
Some of her short term goals are entering the Mrs South Africa pageant and having a talk show that will address the social issues that South African youth face.
Penelope encourages young people to invest in themselves and their craft. “Nothing is impossible if you believe, plan and execute. As there is so much beauty in working towards the things you love, it really never feels like you are working,” she concludes.
Penelope Motshwene is the winner of the Clicks Beauty Cover Model competition.
