Johannesburg- What a spectacle!
The Miss SA competition is breaking all beauty and pageant stereotypes.
Something beautiful is happening on that stage and the world wants to secure a front-row seat to witness it.
Last Saturday, global attention was on South Africa as Shudufhadzo Musida bid farewell to her reign and crowned the new queen, Lalela Mswane, at the Grand Arena of Grand West Casino in Cape Town.
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And my, Miss SA organisers pulled out all the stops to showcase the most progressive pageant in the world.
The entertainment for the evening made a big statement. The Ndlovu Youth Choir is world-renowned having reached the final stage of the talent show America’s Got Talent competition in 2019.
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The choir this week made headlines with its rendition of Adele’s new single Easy on Me, which was released last week to worldwide fanfare.
Zakes Bantwini’s latest hit Osama has been enjoying attention internationally with one of the world’s biggest DJs, American Diplo (real name Thomas Wesley Pentz) giving it a nod during one of his sets earlier this month.
And award-winning gospel singer Ntokozo Mbambo is a powerhouse with a voice that reverberated throughout all corners of the globe. Miss SA is undoubtedly the benchmark for hosting a national pageant.
Even the guest list is a testament to the fact that the world takes SA seriously when it comes to beauty pageants. In attendance were the most influential women in the pageant world today. Chair of Miss World Julia Morley was among special guests.
SA first Miss Universe winner Margaret Gardiner, who won the title in 1978, also attended, while Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray were backstage presenters.
Also among the guests was reigning Miss Universe Andrea Meza from Mexico; Miss World Toni-Ann Singh from Jamaica and Miss Supranational Chanique Rabe from across the border in Namibia.
A quick look at the website of Miss USA and Miss SA gives a very clear idea of what South Africa is doing with the competition. The US describes the Miss USA competition as a “globally recognised pageant platform that celebrates the unique beauty of women across cultures”.
It goes further to say “beyond well-known, we remain relevant to mainstream culture, as we connect young women to their own beauty and help activate their voice”. The Miss SA website calls ours “a leadership platform for ambitious young South African women.” It goes further to say: “Through a pageantry process, contestants receive world-renowned coaching in addition to advanced networking, business and life skills.
Shaped into brand ambassadors for our country, they become champions of women’s rights, thought leaders and savvy career women who inspire other young South Africans to fulfil their potential, recognise their self-worth and find their place in the world.
” The judging panel was also a nod to the remarkable platform that the competition has become. Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was joined by renowned academic and University of Cape Town vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng, media personality Dineo Ranaka, businesswoman Basetsana Kumalo and medical doctor Tamaryn Green, and celebrated actress Shannon Esra.
Shwa knows CEOs of state-owned enterprises who cannot even get a minister to attend their conferences to either welcome guests, offer the keynote address or just show up to say, “this event is important” in South Africa’s work to realise the objectives of the National Development Plan.
When you are spending more than a million of taxpayers’ money and there’s no minister insight – or a world-renowned expert to support that jamboree, serious questions need to be asked by the public. But Shwa is digressing.
Back to the most progressionist pageant in the world. The Miss SA “leadership competition” is making waves and the world is taking notes on how to showcase beauty, diversity and tourism in one event.
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