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By: Cynthia Nkgudi
In a remarkable display of talent, confidence and pride, little Ntandokayise Sibanyoni is flying the South African flag high with her latest achievement being remarkable dominance in a beauty pageant held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The little Mister and Miss Africa was held from the 28th of March until the 04th of April 2026 where children from across the continent showcased their passion, determination and strong interest in beauty, fashion as well self expression.
6 years old Ntandokayise was recently crowned a 2nd runner up at the Toto Miss Africa, Miss Popularity and Miss Cultural Creative Wear in Kenya.
Her mother Poppy Sibanyoni expressed a sense of pride following the little girl’s success.
“She started her journey when she was 4 and that was two years ago but she already holds the Mini Miss Junior Sekhukhune Baby Face of Winter, 1st runner up Miss Spring Sekhukhune, She was crowned a 2nd princess International Junior Miss South Africa in the princess category in 2024. She also was crowned a 1st runner up Toto Miss Africa South Africa. She is doing very well and that makes me proud,” said Sibanyoni adding that her daughter’s achievement is also a proud moment for her family, the community, her school and the modelling academy as well.
The Kenya trip is the second for little Ntandokayise. She previously participated in an international fashion show in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic in 2025.
One of the most powerful aspects of her journey is her role as a cultural ambassador as per her mother’s explanation that she represented the Sepedi culture in Kenya. “Through her wardrobe, performance and personality, she shares the beauty of South African traditions as well as heritage and it was beautiful to watch her taking pride and telling a story of where she comes from and what she stands for through performing,” said Sibanyoni.
Her participation also highlights the growing connection between African nations through youth empowerment and creativity.
Beyond the glitz and glamour, she stressed how challenging it gets to be a mother to a little beauty queen and thanked everyone who took part in supporting her daughter.
“It can get overwhelming, especially when it comes to finances, it can be quite demanding but I am glad I have the support of my husband, my sister and my mom who are there for me and the girls, emotionally as well as in many other ways. We are grateful for people like Logan Sekele who headed the voting journey, Eddy King who made sure her speaking is above par, her coach Pearl King who carried her and made sure that she does well on that stage and also Thaba Moshate Hotel and Casino for sponsoring her stay at the Emperors Peermont Hotel the night before her departure and offering her the shuttle on the departure day to Kenya,” she said.
Ntando ,as she is affectionately known, continues to inspire many young people, proving that age is no barrier to achieving big dreams. As she continues her journey, in the beauty industry, she hopes to use her platform to advocate self- confidence, education an opportunities for youth.
