Meet SA’s First Transgender Contestant: Lehlogonolo Machaba

Lehlogonolo Machaba is the first transgender woman to compete for the Miss South Africa title.

The model wants to use the platform to push for greater acceptance of the LGBTQI+ community.

Same-sex marriage is legal in South Africa.

She said her mission regarding would be to try to break the stigma that people have against the queer community.

Machaba’s anxiety comes from knowing that she will be stigmatised for putting a spotlight on issues transgender people face.

However, she says the death of a close friend due to a hate crime has given her strength to fight the hate.