Tiara to textbooks: Miss SA 2020 Shudufhadzo's fab first year at Columbia University and the United Nations
Having completed her first year of a Master of International Affairs (MIA) degree at Columbia University, Shudu, as she's affectionately known, is also playing a key role on global platforms such as the United Nations, all while writing books and championing causes close to her heart.
Academic excellence at Columbia University
Shudufhadzo Musida's life has taken a bold and meaningful turn since her reign as Miss South Africa in 2020.
In 2024, she marked a significant milestone by completing her first year at the prestigious Columbia University in New York.
She's pursuing a Master of International Affairs (MIA), specialising in economic and political development, a course known for producing influential global thinkers and leaders.
Her choice of study is no surprise; even during her pageant days, Shudu demonstrated a deep interest in mental health and social justice issues.
Her current academic path is a natural progression for someone committed to using her platform for meaningful global impact.
A strong voice at the United Nations
While her studies are demanding, Shudu is also making her mark on the international stage. She has taken on the role of a moderator at high-level United Nations events, where she continues to advocate for women's rights and mental health.
In a heartfelt social media post, she reflected on her experience moderating a UN event on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in crisis responses.
'Behind every policy, headline, and crisis response, there are people,' she wrote. 'Women and girls whose lives hang in the balance… Whose mental and physical health must be a priority, not an afterthought.'
Her ability to bring empathy, intellect, and urgency to global issues has earned her the respect of influential figures, such as Dr. Natalia Kanem and Minister Åsmund Aukrust of Norway, who joined her on the panel.
From the runway to the written word
In addition to her academic and diplomatic achievements, Shudufhadzo published her second children's book, I Am Shudu. The book explores themes of self-discovery, self-worth, and healing, powerful messages inspired by her personal experiences of childhood bullying and the struggles she faced growing up.
'This may be a children's book, but it freed me,' she shared. 'The title alone speaks volumes about who I am and where I am today… My inner child is happy now. She's no longer scared; she has boundaries and knows that her voice and strength can change generations.'
Her writing, much like her advocacy, is deeply personal and purpose-driven. She hopes her book will give children the comfort and encouragement they may not even realise they need.
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Drum dialogue: history and heritage
In addition to her work with the UN, Shudu also hosted Drum Dialogue: Beats of Solidarity, an event commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Ark of Return, a permanent memorial at the UN honouring the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.
The occasion also launched the Second International Decade for People of African Descent, aimed at promoting recognition, justice, and development.
Musida described it as an honour and a moment of reflection, especially given her African roots. Her presence at such a significant event underscores her dedication to amplifying the voices and histories of those often overlooked.
Continued advocacy and global media presence
'It is all of our responsibility to make sure that all women and girls are free from this harmful practice'@SkyYaldaHakim speaks to Shudufhadzo Musida about the UNFPA's campaign to end Female Genital Mutilation around the world.https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3
📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/CTpyX2Hibx — Sky News (@SkyNews) February 6, 2025
In 2023, Shudu was also featured on Sky News, speaking passionately about ending female genital mutilation (FGM).
Her unwavering campaign against the practice is part of her broader commitment to protecting women's rights worldwide.
Even with her busy schedule, she remains actively engaged in humanitarian work, seamlessly balancing her roles as a model, student, and advocate.
ALSO READ:Tributes pour in for TikToker Valeria Marquez, shot dead during livestream
The beauty of purpose
Once criticised and bullied during her reign as Miss South Africa, she has emerged stronger, using her voice to uplift others and drive real change.
Her journey from Limpopo to New York is not just one of personal growth but of global influence. Whether in classrooms, conference rooms, or literary circles, Shudu continues to shine — not just with grace and glamour, but with heart and purpose.
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Eyewitness News
4 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Netanyahu asks Red Cross for help after 'profound shock' of Gaza hostage videos
JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Sunday for help aiding hostages in Gaza, as outrage built at videos showing two of them emaciated. The premier's office said he spoke to the ICRC coordinator for the region, Julien Lerisson, and "requested his involvement in providing food to our hostages and... immediate medical treatment". The ICRC said in a statement it was "appalled by the harrowing videos" and reiterated its "call to be granted access to the hostages". In response, Hamas's armed wing said it would allow the agency access to the hostages but only if "humanitarian corridors" for food and aid were opened "across all areas of the Gaza Strip". The Al-Qassam Brigades said it did "not intentionally starve" the hostages, but they would not receive any special food privileges "amid the crime of starvation and siege" in Gaza. Over recent days, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released three videos showing two hostages seized during the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war. The images of Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, both of whom appeared weak and malnourished, have fuelled renewed calls in Israel for a truce and hostage release deal. A statement from Netanyahu's office on Saturday said he had spoken with the families of the two hostages and "expressed profound shock over the materials distributed by the terror organisations". Netanyahu "told the families that the efforts to return all our hostages are ongoing", the statement added. Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of people had rallied in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv to call on Netanyahu's government to secure the release of the remaining captives. There was particular outrage in Israel over images of David, who appeared to be digging what he said in the staged video was his own grave. The videos make references to the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where UN-mandated experts have warned a "famine is unfolding". An emergency session on the "dire situation of the hostages" will be convened by the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Israel's UN ambassador said Sunday in a post on X. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the images "are appalling and expose the barbarity of Hamas", calling for the release of "all hostages... immediately and unconditionally". 'HAMAS MUST DISARM' Kallas said in the same post on X that "Hamas must disarm and end its rule in Gaza" - demands endorsed earlier this week by Arab countries, including key mediators Qatar and Egypt. She added that "large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need". Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, while UN agencies, humanitarian groups and analysts say that much of what Israel does allow in is looted or diverted in chaotic circumstances. Many desperate Palestinians are left to risk their lives seeking what aid is distributed through controlled channels. On Sunday, Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed nine Palestinians who were waiting to collect food rations from a site operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near the southern city of Rafah. "The soldiers opened fire on people. I was there, no one posed any threat" to the Israeli forces, 31-year-old witness Jabr al-Shaer told AFP by phone. There was no comment from the military. Five more people were killed near a different GHF aid site in central Gaza on Sunday, while Israeli attacks elsewhere killed another five people, said civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal. 'EMACIATED AND DESPERATE' Braslavski and David are among the 49 hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack who are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Most of the 251 hostages seized in the attack were released during two short-lived truces, some in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody. Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,430 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which are deemed reliable by the UN. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said one of its staff members was killed in an Israeli attack on its Khan Yunis headquarters, in southern Gaza. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it was "not aware of a strike" in that area. Media restrictions and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP cannot independently verify tolls and details provided by various parties.
The South African
12 hours ago
- The South African
Why do the West want Burkina Faso's Ibrahim Traoré deposed - or dead?
Burkina Faso's young revolutionary leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has suddenly become one of the biggest political issues in the world, especially in Africa, trending regularly on social media and increasingly becoming a symbol of resistance on the continent. If the Western political establishment and their sockpuppet, echo-chamber media is to be believed, Traoré is a tyrannical, gold-thieving warlord clinging to power in Burkina Faso, and running that Western African country into the ground. Most Africans, however, particularly the youth on the continent, see the charismatic, intelligent, articulate and unapologetically African nationalist 37-year-old leader quite differently – more like an African David standing up to the old colonial Goliath. In 2022, Burkina Faso (formerly known as Upper Volta) underwent two military coups. Both were primarily driven by the country's deteriorating security situation and widespread dissatisfaction with the government's inability to address the jihadist insurgency. For years prior to the 2022 coups, Burkina Faso was plagued by jihadist terror groups (that largely formed after the US-backed overthrow of Libya's Gaddafi), with violent attacks on military personnel and civilians becoming increasingly frequent. The security crisis worsened significantly in the country, with over 1 500 violent events and 3 800 fatalities projected in 2022, forcing roughly 2 million people to flee their homes. In January 2022, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba led a coup partly fueled by the government's inability to contain the growing jihadist threat. However, Damiba's rule was also marked by ineffectiveness in addressing the security crisis, leading to further instability and frustration among the military and population. Meanwhile, the people of Burkina Faso had grown tired of being poor in one of the most resource-rich regions on earth, tired of French and American influence, and tired of their corrupt leaders who dutifully took orders from Paris and Washington. The nationwide discontent led to a second coup in September that same year, this one led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Born in Bondokuy, western Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré studied geology at the University of Ouagadougou before joining the army in 2010. He gained frontline experience fighting jihadist groups in the country's north and later served in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali. By 2020, he had risen to Captain and led an artillery unit stationed in Kaya. His growing frustration with the ruling junta's inability to stem insurgent violence led to Traoré spearheading the coup against interim president Damiba. In October 2022, Traoré was sworn in as interim president, pledging to restore security and national sovereignty. The international community expressed concern over the coup, with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union suspending Burkina Faso's membership and imposing sanctions. Since taking power, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has faced significant challenges, including a deteriorating security situation and economic instability. Despite this, Traoré's leadership in Burkina Faso has been marked by significant initiatives aimed at improving the lives of its citizens. While his rise to power was unconventional, his commitment and notable strides in providing free education and healthcare has resonated deeply with the Burkinabé people and contributed to the overall well-being of the population. The West, particularly France, has been vocal in its criticism of Captain Ibrahim Traoré's leadership. Burkina Faso is rich in natural resources, including gold, which has been a significant contributor to the country's economy. Some articles, analysts and commentators have pointed out that perhaps France's interests in the region's resources may be a factor in its criticism of Captain Traoré's leadership. But there are other possible reasons… In January 2023, Burkina Faso put France's military in the country on notice, giving them one month to vacate the African state. In September that year, the country expelled a French military attache for 'subversive activities'. In April 2024 they expelled another 3 French diplomats for the exact same thing. Traoré's decision to expel French troops from Burkina Faso and seek alternative security partnerships has been perceived as a challenge to France's ongoing influence in the region. At the same time, Captain Traoré's government has sought to strengthen ties with other nations, including Russia, which has been a significant player in the region. This has only further angered Western colonial, imperial powers who, for centuries, have laid claim to the resources of Burkina Faso – and other countries on the continent. The US, through AFRICOM General, Michael Langley, also recently accused Traoré and his Junta 'regime' of stealing the country's gold for personal gain – without providing proof. (Incidentally, if you need a reminder of exactly what AFRICOM and their sprawling network of military bases are doing on the African continent, watch this.) Since late 2022, the Western political establishment and their media stenographers have been pushing the narrative that the Traoré-led coup has resulted in further instability and uncertainty in Burkina Faso. The people of Burkina Faso, the entire Sahel region, and indeed most of the continent…beg to differ. Captain Traoré's anti-colonial sentiments, his commitment to social welfare and his overall defiant and refreshingly unorthodox leadership style – which emphasizes self-reliance and determination – has seen his popularity soar on the African continent, particularly the Sahel region. His government's decision to expel French troops and seek alternative security partnerships has been seen as a bold move towards asserting Burkina Faso's sovereignty. His introduction of free education and healthcare initiatives has resonated with many Africans. In an interview with analyst and commentator Kim Iversen in May, journalist-filmmaker-activist (and former campaign advisor to RFK Jr), Theo Wilson, discussed his recent trip to the Sahel where he saw, firsthand, the influence Traoré casts over the region. Wilson described how he met with locals and recorded testimonies directly from the people living under Traoré's leadership. Almost all of them appeared to adore the young Captain. 'I can tell you the man's shadow looms large over the continent', Wilson told Iversen. 'He is also beloved in countries that have nothing to do with Burkina Faso. To the young people specifically, he embodies the leadership they've been crying out for.' 'They love him', he added. 'In fact, people in the region are asking how come their leaders aren't more like him'. In a recent analytical video about Ibrahim Traoré, comedian and political/media commentator, Jimmy Dore reminded us of some of the other African leaders who were eventually overthrown or murdered by the West, for merely wanting their people – and not exclusively Western corporations – to benefit from their country's wealth and resources; Congo's Patrice Lumumba (1961): Murdered by Belgium and the CIA (under orders from then US President Dwight Eisenhower) and his body dissolved in sulfuric acid. Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah (1966): Overthrown in a US/CIA-backed coup staged by the Ghana Armed Forces and Police Service while Nkrumah was visiting China, which ushered in an era of military rule. Burkina Faso's Thomas Sankara (1987): Murdered in a bloody military coup organised by Captain Blaise Compaoré and, according to the Italian documentary African Shadows released in 2009, was backed by US and French Secret Service and the CIA. Libya's Muammar Gaddafi (2011): Tortured and murdered by a NATO-backed terrorist mob (NTC), leading to the collapse of Libya and the rise of jihadi terrorism in the region. What do all these leaders have in common? What are they guilty of? Wanting their people to benefit from their country's resources, ahead of Western corporate interests. After reviewing that list of African leaders overthrown or murdered by the West, Jimmy Dore pointed out, 'They've been doing this since forever. This isn't new.' He also said, 'The West, the WEF, NATO and the United States (government) do not want us coming together. Not in the US, and not the countries of Africa.' He added, 'They need to keep us fighting amongst each other…so they can control us.' As of April 2025, President Ibrahim Traoré has reportedly survived at least 19 assassination attempts since assuming power in 2022. Perhaps what the West fears the most about Traoré is not his actions, but his words. Because every time the young Captain stands up to give a speech, he stuns the room into reverent silence with hard, unvarnished truths about the West's centuries-old exploitation of Africa. Notable extracts from some of his speeches include; In late 2022, Traoré delivered a speech directed at the imperialist countries that have colonised Africa for decades. He said, 'I am Ibrahim Traoré, and today I'm pulling off your masks. Every day of my life, I grew up with your lies. As a child, I would watch Africa on television. Always the same images: children with flies, dry lands, weapons…death. This is Africa, they told us. And we believed it. We were ashamed of ourselves, of our own people. But then, I grew up. I read, I researched, I questioned. And I understood that the Africa you showed us wasn't real, it was a lie. A script you had written for years. And you still ask…why is Africa poor? No. The right question is how was Africa kept poor while being so rich? Here's your answer: Colonialism. It didn't end, it changed shape. You used to rule with the whip, now you rule with credit.' In June 2025, at the Koulouba Palace in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Traoré addressed citizens and leaders of the AES (Alliance des États du Sahel), a Confederation formed between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. In his speech, Traoré emphasised the seriousness of the threat posed by imperial powers to the unity of the AES. 'Unity is hard, especially in Africa', he said. 'It is difficult to unite, but it is the solution. We must unite. If I were naive I would ask myself, 'Why do the imperialists not want this union?' But I am not naive. I know why. Because our country is rich – rich in its people, rich in moral values, but above all, rich in its land. And it is these riches that others desire. Addressing the UN General Assembly in May this year, Traoré said; 'Africa is not a beggar, not a battlefield, not your experiment, your puppet, your warehouse of raw materials. Africa is rising – not to kneel, but to stand. For decades, you sent us aid with one hand while extracting our lifeblood with the other. You build wells in our villages while your corporations drain our rivers. From now on, we will define development on our own terms. Development that puts children in classrooms, not minerals on cargo ships. Development that respects the land, the people and the soul of a nation. We are a spiritual people. Before your cathedrals, our ancestors sang to the sky. Before your missionaries, we knew the language of the rivers and the laws of the sacred forest.' Addressing the youth of Africa directly, Traoré said, 'You are the reason we fight. Be proud of your name, your land, your roots. The world may not applaud you now, but the future will speak your name in honour.' Turning back to the colonial imperialists, Traoré told them, 'Africa is not asking for a seat at your table, we are building our own table – where no child eats last, where no nation is silenced because it lacks nuclear arms, where justice is not filtered through the lens of race or history, but shared…as breath is shared.' 'This is our vision, this is our vow', he added. 'Africa will not kneel.' Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
12 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Global pressure forces Israel to allow aid into Gaza, but UN says it's not enough to prevent famine
After months of denying starvation and blaming Hamas, Israel is finally allowing some aid into Gaza. But the flow is limited, and aid groups say it barely scratches the surface of the unfolding famine. As the images from Gaza of skeletal, starving Palestinian babies – amid reports of rising deaths from starvation and growing cases of malnutrition – shock the world, international pressure has forced Israel to start allowing a trickle of aid into Gaza, amounts which the UN reports are insufficient to prevent the famine. Furthermore, an increasing number of reports from unexpected sources, including those involved in the questionable aid delivery on the ground, are disputing Israel's version of events, which has tried to cast the blame on Hamas and the UN. In addition to repeatedly denying that they deliberately target Palestinian civilians, the Israeli authorities have also systematically denied that there is either starvation in Gaza or any food shortages. Instead, they have blamed Hamas for looting aid convoys and the UN for refusing to cooperate with the much-discredited Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private security contractor manned by former US soldiers and security personnel in close coordination with the Israeli government. The UN says the GHF is not delivering the limited amounts of food it distributes effectively and neither does the distribution meet minimum humanitarian levels. The GHF operates only four aid distribution centres in southern Gaza as opposed to the previous 400 centres run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which covered the entire coastal territory. Furthermore, the GHF, together with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) encircling the GHF distribution points, has killed more than 1,000 Gazans as they desperately tried to get aid – in highly disputed circumstances. UN World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain, wife of the late Republican senator John McCain, has been working on the ground. She denied that Hamas has been looting aid convoys in Gaza. The New York Times, which has been accused of being biased towards Israel, interviewed several anonymous IDF officials who said in a recent article there was no systematic looting of Gaza aid by Hamas and the UN aid distribution system was the most effective. Israel stopped UNRWA from delivering aid to Gaza and the West Bank after claiming that it was involved in the Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023. After an investigation by the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services, it was established that out of a Gaza UNRWA staff of 13,000, only a few were found to be possibly involved in the attack, but Israel had not provided sufficient evidence to pursue some of those possibly involved. Critics say the real reason Tel Aviv has cracked down on UNRWA is the organisation's support of Palestinian rights and its economic, educational and medical support for Palestinian refugees, thereby making it hard for Israel to bury the Palestinian cause. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) recently completed an investigation into the attacks on aid convoys in Gaza and came to a similar conclusion to the The New York Times report. The analysis found that at least 44 of the 156 incidents where aid supplies were reported stolen or lost were 'either directly or indirectly' the result of Israeli military actions. More damning, however, have been statements by US security personnel directly working with the GHF on the ground in Gaza. Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Aguilar, a former US special forces veteran, was recruited to work for the GHF. He told the BBC he witnessed the IDF shooting at crowds of Palestinians, firing a main tank round into a car carrying civilians and firing mortars at crowds of hungry people waiting for food. 'In my entire career I have never witnessed the level of brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against a civilian population, an unarmed starving population. I've never witnessed that in all the places I've been deployed to war, until I was in Gaza at the hands of the IDF and US contractors,' said Aguilar. 'Without question I witnessed war crimes by the [IDF], without a doubt. Using artillery rounds, mortar rounds, tank rounds into unarmed civilians is a war crime.' Aguilar is not the first GHF employee to criticise its operations. Three weeks ago, another GHF employee, a security guard, told the BBC he witnessed colleagues opening fire on hungry Palestinian civilians who had posed no threat. There have been regular reports over the months of armed groups in Gaza opposed to Hamas operating under the watchful surveillance of the Israeli security forces, attacking and looting aid convoys. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently admitted to Israel arming and supporting criminal gangs accused of ties with Jihadist groups and involved in the looting of aid convoys in Gaza as a bulwark against Hamas, arguing that they were 'saving the lives of Israeli soldiers'. Over the past almost 22 months of the conflict, Israel has repeatedly targeted aid convoys and aid premises, killing more than 400 aid workers and more than 1,300 health workers. One of the more notorious incidents involving international staff was Israel's targeting of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) in April 2024, in which seven international and local staff members were killed. Although Israel claimed it was a mistake, WCK founder José Andrés said it was not a mistake, but a systematic targeting. Israel has also claimed not to target civilians and that those inadvertently killed were used by Hamas as human shields. However, videos and reports have come out of Israeli soldiers deliberately using Palestinian civilians as human shields systematically not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank over the years. British surgeon Dr Nick Maynard said that while working in Gaza he noticed a pattern of Israeli snipers not only targeting Palestinian civilians deliberately but also targeting different parts of teenage boys over different days. This followed earlier reports by other foreign doctors in Gaza, who said Israeli quadcopter drones targeted injured children lying on the ground. Other doctors said snipers had shot at the heads and hearts of children. US surgeon Dr Mark Perlmutter spent several weeks in Gaza in 2024. He said the people he treated were civilians and he hadn't seen one combatant in the Nasser Hospital where he worked. The doctor went on to claim that Israeli snipers were deliberately shooting children in Gaza, France 24 reported. 'No child gets shot twice by mistake,' he said. 'Metadata proves it was real,' Perlmutter added, referencing a recent article in the The New York Times detailing the harrowing experiences of 65 doctors in Gaza such as himself, who commented on the precise shots aimed at hearts and heads. In the interim two leading Israeli rights groups have concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, joining other . DM
