Stefan (21) has indeed come a long way since then. After the untimely death of his mother in 2002, when he was just six years old, Stefan went to live with his uncle and his family in Krugersdorp. At the age of 17 he was re-united with his biological father. After completing the National Senior Certificate exam in 2014 at Hoërskool Jan Viljien in Randfontein, he enrolled at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus.
As a proud resident of the Thuthuka residence, Stefan embraces not only the campus’s vibrant student life but also every opportunity that comes his way. He first represented his residence in the 2015/2016 rendition of the Mr and Miss Thuthuka pageant during which he was announced as the runner-up. In 2016 he again took to the runway and this time he took home the coveted title of Mr Thuthuka. He is also currently the second runner-up in the Mr NWU Vaal pageant. This pageant has already produced two national winners at the Mr SA Campus competition.
Apart from a full academic programme and a very active student life, Stefan is also one of the official ambassadors of the Vanderbijlpark region, together with the beautiful Yolané Pienaar. As Mr and Miss Vaal they are involved in numerous charity projects and modelling events.
But why pageantry? According to Stefan pageantry allows participants to get involved in communities and charity projects. “In preparing for a pageant I have the opportunity to build up my reputation and to put in hard work in terms of community participation. With each title you are provided with a platform from where you can make a difference and to inspire others.”
Defining moments on the catwalk
“Initially it was difficult for me to walk down the catwalk since I am an introvert at heart,” explains Stefan and adds that his involvement in the Mr Thuthuka pageant in 2015 taught him a lot about self-confidence, humility and team spirit. “At school I never really felt as if I fit in, but at university the camaraderie of my residence friends, the different opportunities offered to students to express themselves and the feeling of being at home really changed the way I perceived myself.”
One of his fondest pageant memories is when he took to the stage at the 2016 rendition of the Mr Thuthuka pageant in full traditional Zulu attire. One of the judges, Miss Mamalody Sundowns (Sharon-Rose Lehlohonolo Khumalo) was so impressed by this that she shared his performance on her social media platforms.
Other passions
Stefan is a self-proclaimed fitness fanatic and spends hours in the campus gymnasium. He aspires to become a professional sport coach and it is his dream to one day coach a national team.
In his first year of study, Stefan won the Mohale Trophy at the annual NWU Vaal Culture Day, for the enthusiasm he showed during the event. The latter is aimed at celebrating the campus’s rich cultural diversity. He also played in the inter-residence sevens rugby team.
Stefan Coetzer, the reigning Mr Vaal and final year sport science and psychology student from the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University (NWU), strutting his stuff on the catwalk.
