Bhut Malumz Publications

While everyone else was fixated on a discourse of looting in the country in 2020, the Nqamakwe-bred, self-taught model, Bavulele Tee Zele was practicing how to walk the talk and talk the walk in her home. Zele believes that a model is something that represents reality, and she is the living testimony. She used digital platforms like YouTube and Instagram for tutorials, and by 2021, she was ready to knock everyone else on a live stage. She debuted with Miss Youth Butterworth in 2021 and scooped the crown on the first trial. Miss Butterworth 2021 is in the bag just like that, and that’s naturally a big deal for a beginner. Two years in modelling, and she reigns with 13 whooping titles in her name. Gaining such success in two years is an overwhelming feeling for someone who was using modelling as an escape from body-shaming. She’d fallen a victim for body-shaming since she was very thin, and modelling was a platform that reflected an embrace of her imposed shame.

Zele has a different appeal compared to most contenders and disclosed that her baldness stems from her school history. She learned at a school that was not a fan of long hair, Cofimvaba High, and she, either way, shared the same sentiments as the school. She competed in Miss Empower Eastern Cape 2022 in April where she scooped a Queen spot but for unforeseen circumstances, the pageant was set to be reset on 4 June 2022. In the second segment of the pageant, she scooped the 1st Princess spot, with Hlumelo Frans crowned Queen.

I had a lot of questions going through my head of whether they thought I was not fit enough for the crown or whatsoever. My confidence literally dropped at that point and it really affected me for about three weeks but I finally healed and moved on. I literally felt nothing when I was presented as 1st Princess in the second segment. I wasn’t even excited for myself but excited the current Queen who’s one of my closest friends.

Zele and Hlumelo Frans grew naturally to be great friends, and they are both holding the Eastern Cape modelling industry by the scrotum. She is set to compete in Miss Nqamakwe 2022, in her hometown soon.