From Miss South Africa to corporate world domination, she shows no signs of slowing down.

Written by Sizwe Shabalala

To many people, Boipelo Mabe, is famously known for her journey in the Miss South Africa pageant where she was crowned as a runner-up in 2017. However, outside of that, she has plenty of experience in broadcasting as a newsreader, content producer and political analyst. Following her reign as Miss South Africa runner up, she joined one of South Africa’s top TechCos, where she currently fulfills the role of Digital Communications Manager and serves on the company's employment equity & diversity committee. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Boipleo serves on the Management Committee of the Black Management Forum's Young Professionals Sandton branch as the Head of Marketing. She holds a BA Degree in Politics and International Relations as well as a BA Honours Degree from Wits University.

With so many accolades and achievements thus far in her life, Boipelo attributes a lot of her success to her humble upbringing in Alexandra, a township in the north of Johannesburg, a stone’s throw away from the affluent Sandton.

“There are many success stories from people who come from these places and it’s important to remind the world that a person is more than just their environment. When I think of Alex, I think of a place that has played an integral role in shaping the person I am today and my perspective on the world. I used to be ashamed of claiming Alex as my home because of the reputation it has but now I know that it is a part of my story; the good and the bad.”

Coming from a place like Alex, Boipelo recognizes that, even though at the time they were facing financial challenges, she was very fortunate her parents were still very intentional with the things they exposed her to as a young girl. She recalls being in ballet classes for about 10 years, which, if you think about it, was not a common thing for people in townships. Her parents encouraged her to participate in beauty pageants from a young age and it was through those experiences that she was able to see all the possibilities that lay beyond the environment she was born into.

“I will admit though that, at the time, it was a painful experience sometimes because as a kid, I saw how well-off other kids were in comparison to my circumstances back at home. However, now with the benefit of maturity and hindsight, I can look back on those years with a different perspective; a perspective of gratitude because everything I wasn’t back then has made me everything I am today.”

“My dad always used to remind me that, even though my school mates came from privileged backgrounds, at the end of the day, I was in the same class getting the same education as them and it was up to me to decide if I would let my circumstances define me or take full advantage of the opportunities made possible by my parents.”

With all the beauty pageants Boipelo has participated and enjoyed success in, it makes sense to see how this has influenced her confidence in owning and embodying her personal style.

“I feel like, for me, comfort is very important when it comes to my wardrobe, especially coming from the beauty pageantry space where everything is so serious and at times uncomfortable. One of the things I really appreciate from this collection is that, in the attempt to make the clothes comfortable, Witchery did not compromise on the quality and overall style of the clothes.”

“Another thing I really love about this collection is how versatile the pieces are. It is so easy to style them for my different activities and occasions that I take part in every week — be it something casual but still fancy enough for a dinner or something more formal for the office as I take on the corporate world.”

“These clothes gave me the feeling of being the powerhouse that I believe myself to be. The clothes definitely matched my energy when it comes to being a boss-lady, especially the look with the red.”

When Boipelo decided to enter Miss South Africa, she wanted to use that opportunity to dip her toes in and see what it is all about and then she would come back to compete properly after obtaining her Master's Degree. All of this changed when she suddenly found herself getting further and further in the competition, to the point where she ended up being crowned as a runner up finishing at Number 3.

“One of the lessons I learnt during my time in the Miss SA pageant was that a lot of great things await as soon as you step out of your comfort zone. When I realized the magnitude of the opportunity that was in front of me, I knew I had to take the leap. I knew that the opportunity to obtain my Master's Degree would still be there after the competition but an opportunity to compete for the title of Miss SA may never come again.”

Another reason why she decided to commit to the journey of Miss South Africa was that of realizing an opportunity for representation for young black girls who come from the same background as her. She says, when you come from a place like she comes from, your success is not only yours but it is a shared success between your family and everyone around.

Boipelo says that who we are as adults is a reflection of our childhoods, for the most part. While we try to not be defined by our childhood traumas and experiences, those things shape us into who we become in our adult life. She says, it’s important to forgive your younger-self and let go of the shame you carried when you didn’t know any better.

“It’s not uncommon to hear testimonies of people who come from a background like I come from, speak about the lack of emotional support or positive role models in the communities and that is why I am committed to be an inspiration not only to myself but to other black girls because I didn’t have much of that growing up. Growing up, I never really had people from my community occupying these spaces and that is why today I make it a point to take every opportunity to inspire those following behind me by acknowledging my past and finding ways to show up for myself in the present and future. Be the person you needed when you were younger.”

Having made the transition into the corporate world, she defines success differently now for herself. At the forefront of that success, she says, is the ability to grow and learn consistently.

“It is important to be in a space where I feel like I am learning every day because that means I am growing. Being in a position or a job that does not allow me the opportunity to learn and grow, is not success for me. When I am learning and growing, I am able to make an impact and those are the things that define success for me.”

“What I will say also is that, during my time in corporate so far, I have learnt that when it comes to growth, I can’t sit and wait for someone to make it happen for me; it is up to me to find ways to put myself in positions where I am able to grow and learn. I have to be intentional with what I want in business and who I want to be as a person.”

As she continues to make strides and be a vessel for change and impact, Boipelo credits a lot of her success to her parents' unwavering support and endless inspiration. Even though they have had very different lives compared to that of her own, she says, the principles they have ingrained in her continue to be relevant as she grows and navigates adulthood and life in general.

“I think about all the times my mother would walk me to my ballet classes when we didn’t have enough money for transport – but just her being so committed to making sure I get the experience of doing something like ballet really is a major point of inspiration. So, whenever I find myself in situations where I feel discouraged, I think of the moments when my parents would find a way to make things work in the midst of great challenges.”

Beyond just climbing the corporate ladder, Boipelo has ambitions to develop her #Binspired movement focused on empowering youth. This is her own personal brand hashtag she currently uses in inspirational content she posts. As she takes the time to reflect on her journey thus far, Boipelo shines a spotlight on some of the key milestones she’s been able to achieve on her journey thus far.

“I consider myself blessed that I managed to escape the traps of our hoods where we come from. The life I have managed to build for myself is something I am really proud of. It’s really the simple things for me, such as being able to have my own place, my own car and other things we tend to take for granted. Every day I have an opportunity to become the person I needed when I was younger and that is a blessing in itself.”

THIS INTERVIEW IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WITCHERY AS PART OF THE STYLE COLLECTIVE SERIES

*Featured styles are limited, shop in store & online while stocks last.*

SHOP BOIPELO’S LOOKS