Tiny models steal the show as Dunoon kids hit the catwalk in feel good fashion bash
Staff Reporter
There were cheers, crowns and catwalk swagger in Dunoon on Saturday as 57 township youngsters lit up the runway during the Mr and Miss Charming Hearts 2026 fashion show.
Children aged just five strutted onto the stage at a packed Dunoon Community Hall as proud parents roared them on during a day of glamour, glitz and community spirit.
The event was hosted by local pageant star Ntombovuyo Ngomane, a former Miss Bikini Cape Town titleholder and Mrs Commonwealth South Africa 2025 finalist representing the Western Cape, who said she wants to steer children away from the dangers of township life by giving them something to believe in.
“In Dunoon many children grow up around crime, drugs and alcohol abuse,” she said. “I want to show them another path.”
Contestants from schools across Dunoon, Maitland and surrounding areas took part in the six-hour extravaganza, competing across multiple junior and teenage categories.
One of the young hopefuls, 12-year-old Natalie Mugariwa, said she entered after watching models online and deciding to give it a try herself.
Her mother, Mavis Tumbare, said she was proud to support her daughter’s passion.
Ngomane, who also serves as brand ambassador for Dunoon boxer Sinethemba Blom, said every child received gifts including toiletries, sanitary pads and a Bible.
For one afternoon, Dunoon’s young dreamers were defined not by their circumstances, but by the confidence with which they walked the stage.
