Miss SA 2019 Finalist, Chuma Matsaluka On What Her Afro Means To Her!

Miss SA 2019 finalist Chuma Matsaluka took the country by storm when she became a fan favourite while she was a contestant on the pageant.

The 21-year-old loves many things about herself but one of her favourite things is her afro.

Speaking to Drum Hair, the model says, “To be confident in your own skin, to be comfortable in your own skin and to love yourself completely makes you beautiful. I would love for young girls to love themselves for who they are and not be too hard on themselves.”

Looking back at her childhood, Chuma admitted that she wasn’t always accepted just as she is.

Miss SA 2019 Finalist, Chuma Matsaluka On What Her Afro Means To Her!

“When I was growing up, I was told I was too dark, and I used to hate it but now I love my skin colour. Sometimes I wish I was darker. My hair best represents who I am, I have had my natural hair for the past five years and there have been times when it wasn’t accepted, especially at school,” she explains.

“I can be myself through my hair, and I embrace it because most of the time I’m in my natural hair. It has been an important part of my journey and I’m really attached to it.”

Who she ever changes things up? The model told shared that if she had to change her hair, it would have to be something completely different.

Miss SA 2019 Finalist, Chuma Matsaluka On What Her Afro Means To Her!

“If I were to experiment, I would dye my hair green or get a mohawk. I think diversity is important, especially when young girls see representations of themselves on TV or other media. They’ll become comfortable with who they are, and take on other challenges in life, and it’s not only limited to Miss South Africa,” Chuma says.