Beating 35 contenders on a global stage, Dr Fezile Mkhize has reached yet another milestone after being crowned as this year’s Mister Supranational in Poland on Thursday.
With the Mister World South Africa 2019 title on his resumé, the media personality and medical practitioner is the first black man to win the title.
Following a two-week journey in preparation for the pageant, Mkhize dedicated his victory to his aunt who passed on in December.
“It is absolutely insane to say I am Mister Supranational 2024, but I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support I’ve been getting from each and every one of you.
“It is a surreal experience. I really wanted to thank you – supporters – because you made this journey possible. Brick by brick, we laid the foundation and now, here we stand.
“Most importantly I want to make this tribute to my aunt, Thulisile, who passed away in December. I just wanted to honour her at this moment. South Africa, Africa, we did it. Thank you,” said Mkhize.
Beaming at Mkhize’s win, Mister Supranational South Africa national director, Stephen Segal, thanked South Africans for their heavy engagement and support for Mkhize prior and after his win.
“This a huge thank you around the world for engaging with us and supporting Mister Supranational South Africa. Dr Fez is really busy at the moment. We are going to be hosting a homecoming ceremony for Dr Fez as soon as he returns home,” said Segal.
On the same weekend, and at the same venue, Miss Supranational 2024 also held its ceremony on Saturday, where Miss South Africa runner-up Bryoni Govender flew the country’s flag high when she made the top 12 cut, surpassing 56 competitors on the global stage.
Govender congratulated the reigning queen, Harashta Haifa Zahra from Indonesia, as well as Mkhize for bringing the title home.
“Congratulations to Harashta. I wish her all the best for her reign ahead and I know she will continue to amaze and inspire. It was an honour sharing the Miss Supranational stage with her and all the other wonderful competitors, many of whom have become friends. And well done to Fezile, who has made the country proud,” said Govender.
She also thanked the country for showing patriotism and supporting her. “The outpouring of support from fellow South Africans was overwhelming. To everyone who has cheered me on, sent kind words or simply believed in my dream, thank you. It has been an incredible journey,” said Govender.
The Supranational crown has a precedent locally as the Miss South Africa for 2021, Lalela Mswane, was the reigning queen in 2022.
The Star