East London’s Vince Nkwezane, better known as Vince Chase, is well on the way to crack it as a finalist in the 2025 Mr SA pageant.
Chase, 35, is in ninth position in the competition, and said he wanted to use the platform to address the sensitive but critical issues society faces today.
“What gives me confidence is what I stand for and my advocacy. I’m a genuine person. I’m a down-to-earth person. I’m a South African.
“I understand the problems of this country — and there are many.
“Another person would not want to touch issues like racism and GBV in the competition for fear some of your views could count against you.
“But I’d rather have this count against me than not speak the truth,” he said.
Chase comes from humble beginnings. He was born in East London but grew up with his grandmother in KwaBhaca.
Despite being one of 15 grandchildren under his grandmother’s roof, his childhood was a normal rural one, he said.
At 12 he moved back to East London with his mother and was bullied because he could not speak English properly.
“There was a time where my peers who went to these English-speaking schools used to call me just for their entertainment.
“They tormented me so much I pleaded with my mother to buy me a dictionary.”
Now he describes himself an “autodidact” as he taught himself to become fluent in the language.
Chase is a seasoned public speaker, a field where he made a name for himself through MCing several events around the Eastern Cape..
His Mr SA journey started when a close friend sent him the application without any context about what the link was about.
“I asked why he would send me a link randomly. I thought he’d been scammed. It took me a few days to open it.
“My friend said he thought I’d do very well and the rest of my friends would support me. That was enough for me, and I went for it.”
Three months later, Chase is proud that he is the only Eastern Cape representative in the top 10.
“The journey has been emotionally draining, and also emotionally taxing because of the voting aspect.”
To avoid elimination, Chase had to get at least five sponsors to contribute a minimum of R2,000. But he outdid himself by getting 12 sponsors.
“I approached these companies specifically because they are long-standing East London and Eastern Cape companies, and we’ve supported them for years.
“I felt they had a duty to come on board — and it turned out they were more than willing.”
Chase said if he won, he wanted to establish a foundation focused on “building, moulding and grooming young boys to be better men in society”.
“When I win I want to sit with the president and the minister of education and other powers-that-be and request that they add a programme in schools to groom boys on what it means to be a young man in society.”
Chase is now planning a short run in collaboration with various running clubs along with sending a memo to all the country’s premiers listing GBV as an epidemic in SA.
Prospective voters can find the link to vote for Chase through his social media handles.
Daily Dispatch
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