My Journey :

- Covers Taken from Liaison 2000, Tribute Magazine 1998 and Gaming Africa 1998

I was born Uyanda Barbara Sibiya. My brother Charles nicknamed me: ‘Bantu’; the rest of my family calls me ‘Yanda’ and my in-laws call me ‘Nosisa’. I have been married for 6 years to a man I love and adore – ‘Sisa’; and we have God’s best gift ever, our wonderful 5 year old son – ‘Landa’. “Landa & Sisa – My Pride & Joy!”

- My Family

I spent most of my pre-primary schooling years in KaNyamazane, a small township near Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. I am the last born in a family of five children – Charles, Kenneth, Khosi, Phumzile & myself. Our Parents Rannie & Tamary Sibiya separated when I was 5 years old.

With this adversity an inspired life was born – I began to see my mother’s strength, her vision, passion for business and life; as she single handedly raised my siblings & I while running a small business on the side. After many years of living under the same roof with her – I have become the result of understudying one of the strongest women I’ve ever known in my life.

At age 11 a near tragic experience hit, when I was ran over by a mini bus taxi while crossing a street a few blocks from my house – I survived! The entire experience motivated me to have BIG DREAMS at a very early age. I learnt then, that life was too short to cruise through it without leaving foot prints of your own.

My Mother also instilled in me earlier on in my life ‘the knowledge that I had a personal calling and a journey that only I and no one else is born to fulfill’. I knew then that my life was spared for me to fulfill that calling that God has chosen for me and no one else! The confidence this knowledge gave me built the strength of my character; I knew then that no one can stop me from fulfilling my destiny expect myself.

I attended my high schooling in Guardian Angels College, an all girls Catholic school in Limpopo. Then I moved to Cape Town to study towards a B.Com degree at the University of the Western Cape. It was during my Cape Town days that I decided to celebrate my beauty and venture into professional beauty pageantry. Aiming to reach new highs was never a problem for me because I knew ‘if that high was meant for me NO ONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY’.

I became a new entrant in the entertainment industry back in 1996 when I was crowned Miss Cape Town, this was followed by part time modeling with Print & TV appearances. In 1997 I was crowned Miss Mpumalanga Province which led to me being a finalist in the Miss South Africa Pageant. The title brought sponsorship deals from BMW & Vodacom.

I then used the title to create opportunities for myself as a talk show host on Legwalagwala FM (one of the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s Radio Stations) and a Youth Editor for Lowvelder & Mpumalanga News – these opportunities made me meet and have one-on-one interviews with former President Nelson Mandela & current President Thabo Mbeki.

In 1998 I was appointed as one of the faces of Avroy Shlain Cosmetics and I graced Magazine covers. This was followed by features on TV shows such as Selimathunzi and the Felicia Mabuza Suttle Show.

Throughout this entire time I put my studies on hold, but it was through my mother’s divine intervention that I decided to go back to study. I also decided to put the entertainment industry on hold for me to acquire a solid education. A degree, diploma, certificate & a corporate management CV later I would say the rest is history…..

Having been the first black woman to win the Mrs. South Africa Globe title; I’ve just opened a new chapter in My Journey – one that will be told as a bed time story to many kids 100 years after I have gone….