November 14, 2011. I first met Grace Rheeders through her work as the manager of International Bank Vaults’ (IBV) Super Car Club division, at a function at IBV at Gateway.
While it’s obvious to anyone who meets her that Grace is extremely charming, I was completely unaware that she had a strong sporting background, having won honours for volleyball, athletics, swimming and surfing, which she pursued on a professional level as a teenager for five years.
“Yip, I was a New Pier local, or rather, the locals took me under their wing and allowed me to get away with murder. I loved surfing competitively and definitely had that selfish, must win attitude. I probably irritated the hell out of them.”
Now the tough cookie from New Pier faces an entirely new challenge as she heads for a date with destiny, having walked and talked her way into the final stages of the 2011 Miss South Africa competition (the finals will be held on December 11 at Sun City).
So what happened to surfer girl? “After years as a sponsored rider, I was at a stage in my life when I had to decide what I wanted. Was I going to continue to surf waves for the forseeable future, or was there something bigger and better out there? Did I want to study and learn more about life?”
Grace opted for life experience and soon landed a year-long role with Fry’s Vegetarian Foods in India.
“What a MASSIVE culture shock. I just couldn’t believe it. For the first week I hated it, the noise, the hustle and bustle . . . I couldn’t sleep. But then, suddenly, something gave and I started to get used to the rhythm, we called it the ‘Mumbai groove’. All I can say is it’s something you have to experience. A huge, massive, overwhelming does of big city life. I also got to see Delhi, Punjab, Goa and the Maldives, and even met the Dalai Lama.”
Adventure
Upon returning from her Indian adventure, Grace said she was extremely fortunate to be offered an opportunity by Ashok Sewnarain to work for IBV, where she is chiefly responsible for the Super Car Club and related events, and broader events for the company.
And Miss South Africa 2011, where did that fit in the picture?
“My mom, Rosemary, and (designer) Haroun Hansrot have been nagging me for years to enter, and I thought, ‘Just to get them off my back, I’ll do it’.” So the former sports star, turned public relations boff, decided to send in her picture just to see what would happen.
“I have done some modelling through the years, and during my surfing years I represented the brands of Island Style and Billabong, among others, so I had some experience. But, as I now know, Miss South Africa is about a lot more than trying to look good.”
So what has she learned from the experience? “My picture was accepted, yes, and then they selected girls from the various regions for the next stage. Then there was the bikini round and Q and A, and two of us from Durban made it through . . . the other being Lwandle Ngwenya.
After selection to the top 32 it was off to Sun City for two weeks of serious training under the watchful eyes of the Sun International team. “Now it was all about grooming, how to handle your finances, public speaking, explanations of the duties required of a Miss South Africa, etc. It was all filmed live for a reality show, The Road to Miss South Africa, which is broadcasted every Sunday, at 7pm on Mzansi Magic, channel 107 on DSTV.
“The schedule was gruelling, it was 5am until 1am the following morning, the pressure was relentless. At this stage I had to ask myself, ‘Is this really what I want? Can I do it? What do I want to get out of it . . . and I realised then, that Miss South Africa can offer a huge platform to help people.”
What is it that Grace believes she can do with her success, were she to win? “I do have something a little different in mind. Other than the ambassadorial role and the personal success this can bring, I’d love to use the opportunity to promote the work of local artists, sportsmen and women, and promote educational opportunities for our young people. We have so much talent here, yet people have to travel to achieve recognition. I would love to be a voice for arts, culture, sports and education in SA.”
And, the big question . . . Can she win?
“I believe I can win it, I have an opportunity and the confidence to win. It all depends on what the judges are looking for on the big night.”
Indeed. Durban’s proud Miss South Africa hopeful will also be flying the flag for our local designers, and will be sporting proudly Durban brands throughout the competition. Perhaps a proudly local bikini for surfer girl? We wish her the best of luck. – Garth Johnstone. Pictures Supplied