"Growing up in the Eastern Cape really grounded me. It taught me to remain humble and the importance of community. In Idutywa, I learnt how success is a collective effort. From drawing water to preparing meals for big family celebrations, if you want to accomplish something it starts with community"

"Speech therapy taught me the importance of language in education. When a child is not able to understand the language they are being taught in, we cannot begin to address later unemployment"

"To me inclusive education means that a child’s financial, linguistic, cultural and socioeconomic background does not hinder them from receiving fair access to resources. True inclusion is acknowledging potential and providing resources for each child to succeed"

"I saw how much she transformed during her journey through Miss SA and what an incredible platform it is for self-development"

"Our journey has been so deeply intertwined. Watching my sister on the Miss SA 2023 stage really showed me how attainable our big dreams are. She taught me how to remain graceful under pressure and to really stay true to myself regardless of where I am"

"My name really reminds me that being a leader is not about status, but really about service. Living up to that name now means remaining rooted in my purpose even in moments of discomfort. It motivates me to be the voice that creates space for others to grow and feel empowered in the spaces they step into"

"Standing on that stage, I felt such gratitude. Not just for the crown, but for the journey that led me to that moment. It was such a moment of validation for the little girl in me who doubted if she belonged in certain rooms, let alone on that stage"

"But now with the support and guidance from Miss South Africa and Empower Youth Africa, we are able to do it on a bigger scale with more resources. I am so incredibly humbled"

"It’s still sinking in. I am surrounded by community and so incredibly honoured. I plan to continue the work I have already started"

"I want you guys to see the kind of courage that it takes, the kind of thought and the mindset it takes and how sometimes you really just have to be willing to bet on yourself to be able to take it like one step further"

"It feels like I’ve won the World Cup, but I walk - I was gonna say I walk out of this, but really I walk into this as a completely different woman. But I still carry my old self into it"

"My heart is so incredibly full. If I’m being completely honest it feels like I’ve won the World Cup. That’s the best way I can explain it"

"I’ve carried so many of you guys with me and for me it really is a testament of intentional leadership and how if you really wanna see change within the systems that you step in, you need to just start somewhere"

"Leadership involves responsibility. I want to be an ambassador with deep purpose and a voice that reflects this country. I intend to take EYA very seriously during the coming year of my reign and ensure that everything I and my fellow finalists do, is anchored in impact and can be measured when I hand over"

"People will always have opinions on how they experience you. I have never heard anyone on any set complain about me being a drama queen. Those who know me, know how I am. I don’t pay too much attention to negativity. Everyone experiences people differently"

"I thought I'm just an ordinary person but people see so much because we tell their stories in the most authentic way and that is why when they see me they get happy"

"It is challenging because we are doing a lot of scenes every day and trying to make sure you are telling the story with great integrity and truth because you are telling someone's story and your story links to everyone else's character. You have a greater responsibility because everything needs to make sense. It starts with you"

". I didn't think I would be able to put myself in someone else's shoes and change my perspective and look at life through someone else's lens."

"The coaching team was very clear in their instructions, and we all played with purpose and confidence. We are growing in every match and this result shows what we can achieve when we stay united and disciplined."

"I feel we did very well as a team, especially with our build-up to the game. We worked hard in training to sharpen our combinations and it was fulfilling to see several of the ideas we practiced come to life today. It was an intense match, but we kept our focus from start to finish"

"As defenders, we take great pride in protecting our goal, and the fact that we have not conceded all season is something we work extremely hard for in training. Every player—from the forwards pressing high to the goalkeeper—contributes to that defensive effort."

"What made the difference today was our perseverance. We worked hard for each other, stayed composed, and stuck to the game plan. We implemented everything we had practiced throughout the week, and that helped us maintain our structure under pressure"

"It was a hard-fought game from start to finish. We knew it was not going to be easy, and the University of Fort Hare challenged us, especially in the first half. I honestly feel we could have scored more goals — we created some good chances but just lacked that final touch at times."

"I am also very happy with the clean sheet—it’s something we take pride in as a team. We are now looking forward to the next game with confidence and belief."

"Our defensive structure was solid and we capitalized on their weaknesses at key moments. The communication between the backline, midfield and attack was excellent and that made it easier to control the tempo."

"The game was eventful and everything we planned and prepared for throughout the week resulted in a good win for us. We are so happy with how we managed the game from the first whistle to the last"

"Gugulethu is like a community, like a school. You learn a lot from the people there. They are all parents to us. If you are able to take all the lessons from them then we can succeed. That is the weapon to achieve our goals."

"It is important that they know that one has to work really hard to get what you want. Honestly, success does not really fall from the sky. You need to wake up early."

"So many people look up to us because of where we come from."

"We are more focused on what we need to be doing on the day when the Ghana game comes, and we are really working on that. We are focused on ourselves and not stressed about other teams, and we just need to make sure that we do (on the field) what we train"

"Every day, every month and every season teams change, and it is going to be hard, but we have to fix ourselves instead of looking at other teams, and we have to work hard to achieve what we want. So far, we are doing well, we have frustrations here and there, like mistakes on the field and we have to fix those – it’s difficult but we are working hard,"

"We didn’t underrate Malawi; we came into the same with one team spirit, which has carried us through to the final of the tournament"

"Red Arrows has helped to improve my performances. The coaches have been encouraging me to work hard, and before we came here, they told me to work hard, and now I am scoring goals"

"I still want to play professional football outside the country. After all is done and I am back on the pitch, signing for a good team outside Zambia is one of my targets"

"Now that I have started playing, I just have to push harder to get back to the national team"

"I just have to push so that my team can finish the league in a good position"

"I feel even better about scoring two goals on my return to the Red Arrows squad. For the remaining matches, my personal target is to score 10 goals"

"I feel good to be back on the pitch"

"It’s God’s time. I have been praying for this opportunity to play professional football outside Zambia for about 4-5 years and finally God has allowed it"

"Competition for places is high and the league is tough so I just need to work hard to keep up with the competition"

"I’m adapting to the new weather and the food here in China"

"I want a young black girl child to understand her capabilities are not limited by her physical appearance but are enhanced when she is confident and owning who she is"

"When I go there, I would thank those who helped me along the way, gave guidance and advice and just supported me in chasing my dream. It is just sinking in, how much it means if people put their trust in you and you can reward them"

"The folks there actually joked that I will become the town's first Springbok and now it has happened"

"I was in tears last year for not being called onto the field, but on Sunday, those memories were wiped out when I finally ran onto the field. Suddenly, all the blood, sweat and tears made sense to me.Looking back now, it actually made me stronger and more determined to prove that I can play at this level."

"The fact that I benched last year helped a bit with the emotions when we sang the anthem actually – I knew what was coming"

"It was such a great feeling and relief when I ran onto the field.By that time, I was in the game and really expressing and enjoying myself. The crowd was hectic, but soon I hardly noticed them as I was in the game."

"Without Father Gérard and Mr Hayne Clarke, I would not have been here, there is no doubt in my mind..I was abandoned as a baby and they took me in and became my family and the orphanage my home and my life."

"I can honestly say that rugby has given me everything I could have ever dreamed for, and for me to be playing for the Springbok Women tomorrow is almost surreal, but very true. Dreams really come true, and rugby made that happen for me."

"When I played in my first game, with the encouragement of Father Gérard and Mr Clarke, I immediately felt the sense of belonging"