Johannesburg – Pearl Nikolic, the former "Skeem Saam" actress best known for her role as Sonti, has taken a surprising leap into the world of South African politics, joining the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party. Nikolic (35), who was also crowned 1st Runner-Up for Mrs South Africa 2023, believes her experiences and fresh perspective can bring about positive change.
Speaking to Daily Sun about her decision, Nikolic explained her reasons for aligning with the relatively new MK party.
"This is a young party that’s just been birthed and is worth giving a chance. We’ve seen other parties that have been there for quite some time, yet we’re still complaining about the lack of service delivery. I thought, being a young person who really wants to be part of the change that we want to see, we need to belong to a household that’s just being built," she said.
Nikolic emphasised her desire to contribute to building something new rather than simply benefiting from the efforts of others.
"You don’t want to reap the benefits of other people’s hard work. You want to be part of the hard work. They want young and fresh people—young minds to come up with ideas of what to do to make our country better," she added.
The actress-turned-politician intends to draw on her personal experiences to inform her work within the MK party. Nikolic has a deep understanding of the struggles faced by many South Africans, having grown up in impoverished conditions herself.
"I grew up in a squatter camp for more than 15 years of my life. I still go back there to visit, and those people still live in the same inhumane conditions. No RDPs, no electricity, no water. Someone needs to be their voice. Now I can speak from experience to say this is where I’ve been," Nikolic stated.
She believes that joining the MK party will provide an opportunity to restore hope to those who feel left behind.
"I thought being part of MK will give us an opportunity for people to still have hope. We are worth the shot," she said.
Nikolic is also open about her Christian faith, having been ordained as a pastor in 2021. She believes her faith will be an integral part of her approach to politics.
"I'm a spirit-led person. I don’t do things based on my own knowledge or interest. According to the Bible, it’s God who appoints. He appoints leaders who glorify His name. So, even in this quest to change, I believe that God will use His all to take care of His own people," she explained.
Nikolic believes that leaders should seek divine guidance to effectively serve their constituents.
"We need to apply all the wisdom that God gives us to know how to take care of His people because He created us. We need someone who’ll interact with God and consult with Him to tell us what to do. In the Bible, when Solomon was appointed King, he sought wisdom from God and He gave him more than what he asked for," she said.
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