Miss South Africa 1997 Kerishnie Naiker has paid tribute to her late parents in a heartfelt social media post that has resonated widely.
In the post, she shared the lessons they imparted that have quietly shaped every significant decision of her life.
The beauty queen turned pharmacist and health activist reflected on the distinct but complementary wisdom of her father, Joey Naicker, and her mother, Amra Naicker, describing the values they passed on as “fundamental” to who she is.
‘Earn it yourself’: The financial independence lesson from her father
“Be the lady who earns and owns an Aston Martin, not the lady who marries a man with an Aston Martin,” she recalled her father telling her as a teenager, after he noticed she shared his love of high-performance vehicles. It was a lesson in financial independence that she took seriously.
“Not a car to my name through brand ambassadorship or a gift, rather ethically earned and purchased totally by myself way back in 2008.”
Her mother reportedly told her: “Being a wonderful aunt, godmother, and an active board member of the Vodacom Foundation as well as the Smile Foundation, continually helping children, is not the same as being a mum. I know you. If you do not have a child, you will regret it.”
Yet in the same breath, she urged her not to define herself solely by motherhood. “Not everything in life is transactional, some aspects are transformational.”
Naiker, who became the first academically qualified and first South African of Indian descent to win Miss SA, described the loss of both parents as a transformative experience that has fundamentally altered her relationship with time, people and meaning.
“I have even less time for small talk, unethical people and meaningless moments,” she wrote, adding that she remains “deeply grateful for their synergistic, anchoring effect”.
Loss, injury, and the power of present parents
The post is the latest in a series of introspective reflections from Naiker, who has been candid with her followers about a difficult chapter following a serious injury sustained at Cape Point on 1 May 2024.
She was knocked down a flight of stairs near the lighthouse by a tourist walking backwards while taking photographs.
The fall left her wheelchair-bound for approximately six months and required surgery and intensive rehabilitation. Her mother’s funeral, which she attended in April 2024 – just weeks before the accident – adds a particularly poignant weight to her current reflections.
Writing about her recovery in October 2024, Naiker shared a list of lessons drawn from that gruelling period, among them: “Honour your body and your body will honour you” and “Trustworthy family and friends are the most valuable capital you could have.”
By June 2025, she had reached the milestone of walking unassisted again. But it is clear that the journey inward has been just as significant as the physical recovery.
“Reflecting on their considerable influence over my journey is a grounding sentiment which highlights the power of present parents,” she wrote of her late mother and father.
Naiker, who holds an honours degree in pharmaceutical science and has served on the boards of both the Vodacom Foundation and the Smile Foundation, continues to be a prominent voice in South African public life.
