Mrs South Africa 2nd Princess Talitha Oosthuizen is stepping far beyond the pageant stage and into the thin air of the Himalayas, trekking to Everest Base Camp not just for adventure, but to amplify a message of hope, resilience and purpose.
As Mrs South Africa 2nd Princess, Talitha has used her platform to advocate for causes close to her heart, including human trafficking awareness and wildlife conservation. Now, she’s taking that advocacy to new heights, quite literally. Here, she shares how her journey from survivor to warrior is shaping every step of the climb
GLAMOUR: When did the idea of Everest take hold?
Talitha Oosthuizen: After summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in 2022, my husband and I looked at each other and said, “What’s next?”Everest Base Camp wasn’t some childhood dream. It was a decision. A bold, slightly crazy, “why not?” moment. We booked it in 2023 and paid our deposit.It has been a three-year journey already. In 2024, my husband had a challenging year and we had to reschedule. In 2025, I entered Mrs South Africa. And now in 2026, on the 25th of February, we are finally trekking to Base Camp.Not just for adventure. But for causes that are deeply personal. For purpose.
GLAMOUR: Pageantry and extreme adventure seem worlds apart. How has this reshaped you?
Talitha Oosthuizen: During my Mrs South Africa year, I found my voice.The crown did not define me, it amplified me. It made me realise that I have a bigger purpose: to bring hope and to create awareness around causes that are affecting thousands of South Africans silently.Pageantry gave me the platform. The mountain gives me the action.Hope is not something you speak about. It is something you walk out.
GLAMOUR: Why human trafficking and rhino poaching?
Talitha Oosthuizen: I am a survivor of GBV. And for me, human trafficking forms part of that conversation. Exploitation is exploitation.In 2024, I posted about the film Sound of Freedom.
Only one organisation responded — Shattering Shackles. That response began our journey together.South Africa’s trafficking statistics are horrific. The reality is not spoken about enough.
So many are still trapped. Still shackled. They need a voice.Through conservation partnerships like Greentrax K9, I have also seen the devastation of poaching. I am part of a tourism business, and we believe it is our responsibility to protect what brings life to our country.Our wildlife cannot speak. Rhinos cannot cry out loud enough for the world to hear them.Today, I am not just a survivor.I am a warrior carrying the shackled up the mountain and being their voice.
GLAMOUR: What message do you hope this sends to women and young girls?
Talitha Oosthuizen: You are not only a victim.You are not only a survivor.You are a warrior.You are so much more than you think.Do not let anyone take your worth away from you. Find that light within you again. Do not let it dim. It is still there.Your circumstances do not define you. The choice to choose yourself, that defines you. And choosing yourself is worth it. Because you are worth it.
GLAMOUR: What has been the biggest challenge in preparing?
Talitha Oosthuizen: The weather will be my biggest challenge. The cold is something you can try to prepare for mentally, but you only truly know when you are on that mountain.We are swimming to strengthen our lungs. We are taking altitude medication responsibly. We are training for fitness and endurance. But altitude and mountains have their own rules.You prepare as best you can, and then you surrender to the process.What will keep me going is knowing I am not walking for myself. I am walking for that little girl who lost her light, her courage, her sense of worth.Doing this with my husband, and with my faith anchoring me, keeps me grounded and strong.
GLAMOUR: What impact do you hope this expedition creates back home?
Talitha Oosthuizen: If one life changes because of this awareness, it is worth it.If one more person understands the urgency of protecting our wildlife, it is worth it.We are capable of extraordinary things when we stand together.I hope this climb gives hope. Inspiration. A reminder that serving something bigger than yourself gives life meaning.
GLAMOUR: What do you hope readers feel when they follow your journey?
Talitha Oosthuizen: Hope. Warmth. Courage.A realisation that we all have mountains. Some are small. Some feel like Everest.But one step at a time, those shackles begin to fall.If my journey encourages someone to take their first step, to speak up, to heal, to fight for something, to choose themselves, then this climb has already succeeded.
GLAMOUR: What do you think you’ll feel when you first see Everest?
Talitha Oosthuizen: Overwhelmed.An emotional realisation that I am walking in my purpose. That the little girl who once doubted her worth is now standing at the foot of one of the world’s greatest mountains.I will feel humbled — standing in awe of what our Lord has created.And I will be deeply grateful to be sharing that moment with the love of my life, my husband.Small. Humbled. In awe.
GLAMOUR SA: How did pageantry prepare you for the mountain?
Talitha Oosthuizen: Pageantry taught me resilience. It taught me how to stand firm under pressure. How to stay calm when doubt creeps in.It is where I truly found my voice.The Mrs South Africa platform strengthened me. It gave me courage. It gave me belief in myself. And I will forever be grateful for that.It allowed me to step fully into my God-given purpose; to bring hope, change and inspiration to women and youth.The crown did not weaken me. It strengthened me.
GLAMOUR: What if you have to turn back?
Talitha Oosthuizen: It would be devastating.But it would not deter me. It would amplify my determination. I would try again.Sometimes strength is knowing when to turn back. But purpose does not stop because a summit was delayed.I am walking with my husband and with God on my side. I will do my utmost to reach Everest Base Camp because this is not just about me.
GLAMOUR: How will the woman who returns be different?
Talitha Oosthuizen: I will return humbled by the mountain.Stronger. More inspired. Ready for whatever comes next.It will remind me of my strength, my unity with my husband, and my faith.And yes, my eye will always be on the next mountain — but more importantly, on continuing the work I started long before Everest.Radio interviews. Talks. School visits. Conversations. Action.The climb does not end at Base Camp.If life allows me, the real work begins when I come home.
This climb is not about proving how strong I am.It is about proving that pain does not get the final word.It is about showing women that your story, no matter how broken it once felt, can become your power. That your voice matters. That your light can return. That your scars do not disqualify you from greatness.
I am walking up that mountain carrying the shackled, not as a victim, not even just as a survivor but as a warrior.
And if there is one thing I hope every woman reading this remembers, it is this:You are not defined by what happened to you.You are defined by what you choose to rise into.
Mountains will always exist.So will strength.
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