Bhut Malumz Publications

Sanelisiwe Qayi is a Cala-born aspiring model, who has made her name to be known nationally.

Qayi is a Bachelor of Arts second-year student at the University of the Western Cape. She moved to Cape Town last year when she enrolled in the institution, and currently resides in Khayelitsha. She had suffered low self-esteem under the spell of bulls that ridiculed her for her thinness. She grew up longing for a place she would enhance her self-confidence. Modelling had always been an interest to her, but by the time, modelling revolved around her most ridiculed body element. When she arrived in Cape Town in January 2020, several people complimented her body. The compliments boosted her confidence, which led to her loving herself again. Her siblings applied for her in bigger modelling agencies, which none of them accepted her because of her lack of experience. Hlumelo Frans came to her rescue when she suggested that Qayi enter pageantry competitions. In 2020, the pageantry scene had been moved to an online space where different models compete, and the one that made the final cut takes everything home. Qayi gained her first title in pageantry modelling, Miss Curvy Photogenic 1st Princess 2020, in November 2020.

It changed my perspective towards modelling because it made me realise that modelling is not about your weight, or your outer look, but it is what is inside you that matters. And if you give yourself enough time to be taught and understand it, you’ll know what you want and want to achieve in that industry in order to make a difference.

Qayi competed on Miss Curvy Photogenic after she gained weight, and after being crowned, she bounced back to her usual weight. She was not bothered by the weight loss because she knew that she is beautiful, regardless.

Qayi has retained four more titles since her debut, although she had not been crowned with the recent title. She walked away with two titles at Miss Definition of South Africa 2021, People’s Choice, and Brand Ambassador, respectively. She also had been crowned Miss Up and Coming Goodness 2021/22, and the pending one, Miss Heritage of the Month 2021/22, which still needs to be transferred from Limpopo to her since it was an online pageantry event. This makes five total titles in her name in the space of 11 months doing modelling. She has joined an agency, Signature Queen Casting and Modelling Agencies, which caters to television work, and modelling. It is founded by a Zimbabwean national, Signet Delane Chikukwa. She had been attending workshops in association with this agency for at least three months now, and the period of the workshops ends on 9 October 2021.

Those workshops take about 3 months, for the first two Saturdays we’re introced to modelling and acting. Remember that it’s also a Casting Agency, then after we focus on the theory and practicals. In practical we’re being taught about ramp walks, turns and how a model should be in the stage. In the casting side, we do monologues in terms of acting and commercials like tv adverts and how to do auditions online because most of the times we tend to audition online because of covid 19. In theory we’re taught about different kinds of models, not only we can do pageants, but fashion, commercial, fitness modeling and so on, different kinds of body shapes, remember we are all different but we aught to love ourselves as we are, theres more into it but most importantly, we are taught to embrace our womanhood and manhood because we also have guys there, to love and feel powerful and unapologetically beautiful inside out in order to take up the space

Qayi walked away with Up and Coming Goodness 2021 on the pageant as mentioned above. She believes the community work modelling had been prioritising throughout its run as an industry. She also added that being a model is a calling more than being a sport some people might make it to be.

Definitely, there’s a career I’ll be pursuing after my degree which is News broadcasting with my home language isiXhosa, and I also love acting. I’ve recently started featuring, and I wish for more features but in all that I’ll never drop modelling. I love it with all my heart. After my degree, I’ll have to learn to balance my work, and modelling, and give each activity its time, simple.

Qayi is on the verge of bringing the pageantry events home in Cala, where there’s zero opportunity for models. She had been working on the event for two months, and she is about to approach sponsors.