At the weekend South Africa crowned a new queen. Natasha Joubert became the newest Miss SA, taking over from last year’s winner, Ndavi Noker.
Joubert joins the sisterhood which includes the likes of Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (2017), Zozibini Tunzi (2019) and 1978 winner Margaret Gardiner.
Former beauty pageant winner Vanessa Carreira-Coutroulis, who was crowned Miss SA in 2001, was left feeling nostalgic in the lead-up to the 2023 pageant.
Taking to Instagram ahead of the big event, she wrote about how her life changed overnight when she won the pageant more than two decades ago, as well as how the Miss South Africa title presented her with so many opportunities thereafter.
In the caption that accompanied a picture of her glamorous crowning moment, she wrote, “22 years ago my life changed forever. Overnight, I went from being a 21-year-old student from Boksburg to having the privilege of representing our beautiful country both at home and internationally.”
She continued: “The exciting travel, the people I met & the opportunities that were presented to me changed me forever. I am forever grateful to @official_misssa for the #onceinalifetime experience.
“Today, another young woman will join our #sisterhood and have her moment to shine within the constellation of previous titleholders that I am so honoured to be amongst.”
The throwback had many of Carreira-Coutroulis’s followers and fans thinking about the day she was crowned.
“Oh V! I remember watching you win and feeling so elated and starstruck by you! Your grace and beauty! Little did I know that just years later I would join you in the most special sisterhood! 💖👑,” wrote 2008 Miss South Africa, Tatum Keshwar.
@piersbraybrooke wrote: “Jeeez !!! That long ago !!! It was just like yesterday ! And you are even more beautiful now ❤️.”
@therealbarbiebarbs commented: “Omg I remember this I was like 9 and jumping in front of the tv not knowing in my adult years I would finally meet you and you exactly the beautiful person I thought you were.”