At the age of 21, Tivani Makamu has already mastered the skill of working hard towards her dreams and she is currently enjoying both the success of her hard work and the limelight that comes with it. She is one good example among the youths that when one has got a dream, one should pursue it until it is achieved.

“I am a multi-talented woman who does not hesitate to go all out and explore the world in search of my niche and establishing herself as a social being. I am a woman and am proud about that, and then I am a youth – living here in South Africa, a country fulsome with opportunities.”

Tivani has been a model for some years, a talent that she discovered and nurtured while she was still a high-school pupil. Now, she has just won an international pageant title, Miss Image of Freedom of the World, and has further won two other subtitles, Miss Best Smile and Miss Friendship of Freedom of the World. The contest was recently held in Kosovo.

Her strengths come from the people who critique her. In her view, everyone has encountered bullies.

“But I am glad mine pushed me to be this amazing person I am today. I have taught myself not to be lazy and grab the opportunities that come my way and use them constructively.”

She is a multi-title winner in the modelling industry who still remains humble, with a burning desire to achieve more. She was crowned Miss Malamulele 2017, and Miss Rainbow Nation South Africa in 2018.

“I was named Model of the Year (overall winner) at Model Manifest KP, which is a modelling school that I am currently attending at Kempton Park.”

Tivani worked at GCR FM for a period of three months as a presenter. She also worked as a call-centre operator at OK. Her passion includes modelling, dancing, make-up artistry and giving back to the community.

“I am also currently running a foundation that I will register soon. Through this foundation, I engage in charity works such as donating clothes to the needy and orphanages.”

Tivani is from Xibangwa village in the Malamulele area, Limpopo. She spent half of her life in Limpopo and moved to Gauteng in 2010.

She started her Grade R at Xigalo Primary School in 2004 and moved to do grades 1 to 3 at Xibangwa Primary School. She proceeded to New Era College to do grades 4 and 5; for grades 6 and 7 she attended Birtharry English Private School. She did Grade 10 at EPP Hlungwani Secondary School.

“I was always moving up and down, and from one school to another, but I eventually matriculated from Eqinisweni Secondary School in Tembisa.”

She attended Rosebank College, but could not graduate because she owed them tuition fees.

For the Miss Image of Freedom of the World’s programme, Tivani was sponsored by her friend’s father, Mr David Ramathavha. Her coach is Lindy Burrell of Model Manifest.

“I enjoy and appreciate the kind of help and support which I continue to get from people around me. My future plans are to own my own beauty salon and modelling school, which I already started, but it’s not official because I am yet to register it.”

Nothing will stop Tivani from reaching many of her splendid goals and dreams – watch this space!

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