“Are you married?”
This question is the cornerstone to the Mrs SA pageant, and was the first question East London semifinalist Celeste Meintjes Frans was asked.
This makes sense to Meintjes Frans, 39, from Buffalo Flats, whose childhood home at 101 Greenpoint Road was an unofficial community kitchen run by her parents.
They were married for 54 years before they died of Covid-19.
“I believe marriage is a testament to love, commitment and partnership — a foundation for strong family values and a guide for the next generation,” she said.
“My marriage is built on a 20-year friendship that began at Buffalo Flats Primary, continued through Greenpoint Secondary, studies, work and, now, building a home together.
“Through every storm, our bond has remained unshaken. We celebrate each other’s highs and stand united through the lows.”
The competition, branded as a “platform for married women that offers an unparalleled self-discovery journey that celebrates bona fide married women of all creeds, ethnicities, cultures, abilities and religious backgrounds”, announced its field of 101 semifinalists at the end of February.
With a few dropouts, this figure is now 96.
The contestants — aged 25 to 55 — will spend most of the year in an intensive programme of personal development workshops, including sessions on personal branding, goal-setting, leadership and a professional photo shoot.
Chief executive Joani Johnson said: “Every woman here said ‘yes’ to themselves and to making this their time to shine. Seeing the fire inside each of them is so inspiring.
“These are definitely women to watch as the next generation of changemakers.”
Meintjes Frans is the general manager of the Barnyard Theatre in Pretoria, where she has lived with her husband, Riaan, and their two sons since 2018.
Her pageant journey began with her first competition, SterStatus, in 2022, where she got through to the finals.
“I was looking for a platform where I could create a valuable impact within women’s empowerment, which is why I entered Mrs SA. SterStatus is similar, but on a smaller scale.
“It’s all about teaching women how to be the best versions of themselves.”
During her SterStatus journey, her father died from Covid-19 in 2021 and, 10 months later, her mother also died.
“My parents, Willy and Lolly, built a legacy at 101 Greenpoint Road. Everybody knew they could knock on the door for a plate of food.
“This was deeply rooted in unconditional love, this was the story of the house.
“This value was taught, whether you were crying, or had a problem, the door was open.
“We were a family of brothers, sisters, cousins, aunties, uncles — it was a safe zone.
“So when they [her parents] got sick, the carpet was ripped from under our feet. I paused — it takes a lot to build your foundations again.
“Both my mom and dad were diagnosed with Covid-19 in 2021, and were hospitalised at the same time. Two weeks later, my dad didn’t make it.
“Because it was during the pandemic, we couldn’t visit him. There was a drive-by at the house, with a red carpet, and the whole community drove past at a specific time, dropping off flowers in front of a large picture.
“The legacy they built was displayed that day at that moment, it’s what they put out.
“My mom passed 10 months later from long Covid-19, they were inseparable.”
Meintjes Frans had her own major health scare in 2022, being diagnosed with a cavernoma, a cluster of abnormal blood vessels that can occur in the brain, causing seizures.
“I was driving on the highway, blacked out and lost control of the vehicle — I don’t remember skipping two lanes to the other side, but came out scratch-free.
“I believe that day my father was driving the car. I came to with ambulances around me, and at the hospital they told me it was a seizure.
“It affects your speech, you have memory loss, you have to learn how to live with it.
“They put me on medication for a year and the doctor cleared me in August 2024. I can live a normal life again.”
There is nothing normal about the plans for her year ahead.
With golf days, fundraisers, workshops as a semifinalist, Meintjes Frans said she would use the opportunity to pay-it-forward as much as possible.
“Securing sponsorship is a pivotal and often challenging aspect of our journey as semifinalists, requiring mutual support and alignment between the influencer and the brand.
“I’m thrilled to announce that NH Johannesburg Sandton, a distinguished Johannesburg hotel, is my official silver sponsor.
“I want to see how I can empower women to turn their scars into triumphs, and this platform is where they teach us these tools.
“For the next five months, we have milestones to reach. We have a women’s brunch, followed by a golf day where the husbands support us, and then we move into a photo shoot, and then the finals.
“This is where a record is tallied of everything we have done, from our social media campaigns, how many SMSes we got, and we see how we’ve grown.
“From there it’s the Top 30, then down to Top 10, then to the top five and lastly the top three.
“I’m so grateful. To the ladies and moms sitting in the back seat thinking of things they want to do but feel they can’t, I hope to inspire a new perspective on life.”
- To vote, like, share and SMS CELESTE MEINTJES TO 47587 at the cost of R3 per sms.
Daily Dispatch