Finalist 2011 – Mnqobi Banele Njoko
Name Mnqobi Banele Njoko
City / Town Durban
Province Kwa Zulu Natal
Age 22
Career I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Community and Development Studies from UKZN and currently doing an Honours in Development Studies majoring in Research Methods and Design. I enjoy mentoring, tutoring, facilitating discussion, engaging in debates, basically teaching. So I will stay in academia, with plans to get to PhD and be one of the youngest and best lecturers.
Previous Competitions Mr. Gay Durban 2011
Why do you want to be Mr. Gay South Africa™ 2011? Growing up in a rural area in a small town called Estcourt, I did not know much about gay life, let alone having support and knowing other people in the LGBT community. I had to rely on TV, magazines and other media for information and emotional support. Like most gay boys, I was bullied and called names growing up. But that did not stop me from achieving my goals, today I am one of the best Honours students University of Kwa Zulu Natal has. I want to be an example to my peers and older and an inspiration and role model to the younger still at school. I believe as Mr GSA, a lot of people in the LGBT community can relate with me and find hope, given the fact that SA has more townships and rural areas. I want to be the ambassador and an activist for the rights of the LGBT community as we still have a long way to go. As Mr GSA people would see from me that background only influences your future, but doesnt determine it. I am a lover of life, confident and have great personality. I have friends who are in the LGBT community and those who are not and that’s my dream for us, to be part of the bigger society. Acknowledge our sexualities but do not let them stop us from relating to the rest of the world’s population. I want the world to see through me what great people we are.
Which public gay figure, South African or otherwise, do you see as a role model and why? Johnny Sternberg, I only found out about him in 2008 and from then started reading his books. He is a role model to me because of his work. He is one of the best researchers we have in Social sciences. I love how he has not allowed his sexuality to stop him from doing what he loves and is good at. He has done research in all types of cases, from AIDS, to policing in SA, to the life of Americans and in his books he never hides that he is gay. I’m inspired by people like him, who let their work speak for them and who put sexuality aside and do what need to be done.
Chosen charity to support Durban Lesbian and Gay Community and Health Centre
Web site / Blog http://www.facebook.com/njokob
SMS Code SMS GSA 9 to 34008.Each SMS costs R2 – maximum of 100 SMS per Phone Number per day. E.g. SMS “GSA 9” to 34008.