QUEEN of GOOD DEEDS

Whether she's on the radio, on stage or on social media, Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni prides herself on being genuine and authentic. Koketso Mashika chats with her about everything from hosting a hit radio show and giving back, to finding "the one" and her next bold move

- Koketso Mashika

If you happened to be watching the glittering Miss South Africa ceremony one Sunday evening in the early autumn of 2015, you will probably still remember the moment when an unknown Gauteng beauty with a sincere smile, an infectious laugh and a delicate Jozi accent took the stage at the Sun City Super Bowl. The remarkably poised 23-year-old defeated 11 other finalists and was crowned the fairest of them all.

She went on to make it to the top 10 at Miss World, where she became the Continental Queen of Africa. She distinguished herself from the other candidates by speaking gracefully and eloquently about issues that were close to her heart. Fast-forward eight years and it’s 2023: the world is in realignment and Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni, a woman of action, is plotting her next bold career move.

Despite feeling under the weather, Liesl showed up for our video-chat interview thanks to her legendary work ethic. What appears is a vision of a woman – a wife, a daughter and a philanthropist at heart. Even on a computer screen, her calm and genuine demeanour compels you to sit and listen. With over a decade of experience empowering others under her belt and a plethora of new entrepreneurial ventures planned, Liesl’s most impressive trait is a fire that has never been snuffed out, regardless of the challenges life threw her way. “I come from a household of empowerment,” says Liesl, who was raised in Eldorado Park, Gauteng, by her grandmother, Lorraine Laurie. Lorraine was an educator before she retired so, naturally, education was of the utmost importance when it came to raising Liesl.