by Yaya Mavundla
Mellisa Mbambo is black trans-woman, born 32 years ago in Intshanga, KwaZulu Natal. She is a part time stylist.  Super excited about representing the LGBTI community at the upcoming Miss Gay RSA. The pageant is set to take place in November at Carnival City, Johannesburg.
“This is a very big competition. I am so excited and yet so nervous, especially because I have to raise R10 000.00 for charity of my choice.  I am struggling to put together the amount” Mellisa said.

Beautiful Mellisa at Durban South Beach on the 3rd June 2017. Photo by Zanele Muholi

Part of the competition requires all contestants that have placed on the top 6 to raise
R10 000.00 for charity of their choice before the grand finale. The bubbly trans-woman who always stands out not because of her beauty but her bubbly personality, height shares how her dream will become reality if she were to win this pageant. “Winning the first Miss Gay RSA will be a dream come true. This will open so many doors for me. I will make sure I conduct workshops for other LGBTI people to believe in themselves, encourage them to participate in such pageants as this is a way to express for yourself”

Speaking about the charity she is raising the funds for that she adores because of the great work they are doing she said, “The charity I am raising the funds for is Thousand Hills Community Helpers. I love this charity organization because the do so much for the KZN community. The charity helps homeless kids, feed elders, work with people who are infected and affected with HIV/Aids, I sometimes go and assist when they need my help”.

Mellisa was stabbed several times with a screw driver in her head, spine cord and left arm by his brother who is on drugs. She plans to go as far as participating in community workshops that educates youth on issues affecting our communities such as drug abuse and HIV. “We need to encourage youth to stop drug abuse & to have protected sex” says the fierce beauty queen.

Melissa is a tittle holder of many tittles such as Miss Sobantu Pietermaritzburg 2007, Miss Valentine 2007, Miss Gay KwaZulu-Natal 2008, Miss KwaZulu-Natal (a pageant for heterosexual woman) and recently 1st Princess at Miss Mzansi Pride 2016 to name a few. She is aware that anything is possible. “Being a beauty queen is not easy, it’s a lot of work and it comes with a lot of emotions, you need to be strong, you can do your best but still not win”.

Melissa describes this as a very challenging journey as she will be competing out of her city. There is a lot of money involved, being the R10 000.00 for charity, funds for her swim suit, shoes, hair, make-up, evening gown and return flight from Pietermaritzburg to Johannesburg. “I have even lost 5kg due to a lot of stress. I pray everyday all goes well.
I am stressed but I know things will fall into place” she concluded.

Prior the finale, the Miss Gay RSA will be hosting a workshop for the Top 6 in Johannesburg on the 26 – 27 August 2017 to prepare the contestants for the finale and photo shoot.

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2017 July 19: “What is there no state funeral for Prudence?”