Minnie Dlamini Shares Heartwarming Memory of Meeting Nelson Mandela at Just 12 Years Old

Actress, executive producer and TV host Minnie Dlamini has shared a touching story about one of the most unforgettable moments of her life, meeting South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, when she was just 12 years old.

In honour of Mandela Day, Minnie took to social media to post a throwback photo of herself standing next to Nelson Mandela. The photo was taken in 2002, when she had just won the title of Little Miss South Africa.

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A post shared by Minnie Dlamini (@minniedlamini)

She began her story by saying: “Happy #MandelaDay South Africa > Story time… Meeting Tata was one of the highlights of my life at just 12 years old.”

Minnie explained that her dream of meeting Nelson Mandela started when she was just nine years old. She had learned that winners of the Miss South Africa and Little Miss South Africa pageants often got to meet him, and from that moment, she was determined to be one of them.

“I set a goal and I stopped at nothing to achieve it,” she said. “I competed in every pageant I could find, I trained and worked on my walk, stage presence and of course my interview skills, until I won the title in 2002.”

Minnie also remembered the question she was asked on the night she won: “If you were to meet Nelson Mandela, what would be the one question you would ask him?”

After her big win, she was honoured by the then Mayor of Durban, Obed Mlaba, and received the Mayor’s Award of Excellence. She was the youngest person to ever receive it. At the ceremony, she bravely told the Mayor that she had to meet Nelson Mandela. He advised her to write a letter sharing her journey and promised to help.

To her surprise and joy, Mandela’s office contacted her family. Soon, Minnie, her mother, and younger brother were flown to Mandela’s home in Houghton.

“I got to meet and spend time with him. I remember him being so attentive in conversation and told me many stories,” she said. “He treated me like an equal and not a little kid.”

The meeting left a lasting mark on her. She recalled how she couldn’t stop talking and told Mandela how much he had inspired her.

She added: “This is a story about determination and unshakeable drive, that I always bring to the fore whenever I feel like I can’t do something or my back is against the wall. I remember 12-year-old Minnie who didn’t let ANYTHING deter her from reaching her dream.”

Minnie didn’t reveal what her winning question to Mandela was, but she teased that fans might just find out one day when she writes her book.