The relevance of the Miss SA pageant

30 March 2015 - 11:45 By Xanderleigh Dookey
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Former Miss SAs Tatum Keshwar, Bernelee Daniell, Thuli Sithole, Suzette van der Merwe, Melinda Bam and Claudia Henkel with the 2014 Miss South Africa, Ziphozakhe Zokufa, centre, at the launch of a mentorship of this year's finalists by former title holders/
Former Miss SAs Tatum Keshwar, Bernelee Daniell, Thuli Sithole, Suzette van der Merwe, Melinda Bam and Claudia Henkel with the 2014 Miss South Africa, Ziphozakhe Zokufa, centre, at the launch of a mentorship of this year's finalists by former title holders/
Image: DEBBIE YAZBEK

Miss South Africa 2015 was crowned on Sunday in Sun City but is the pageant still relevant?

The pageant, currently in its 59th year has seen many of its former title holders grow into successful women both in entertainment and the business world.

 

The first black Miss South Africa, Jacqui Mofokeng, clinched the title in 1993 and after her reign she started her own business called Jay-Emm connections, an executive placement firm.

 

Basetsana Kumalo is one of the most successful business women in South Africa.

The former Miss South Africa is the executive chairman and CEO of Basetsana Woman investment holdings and sits on various boards such as love Life and the Nelson Mandela Institute for education and rural development amongst many other titles.

 

Other winners such as Melinda Bam and Jo-Anne Strauss have gone on to be TV presenters While Bokang Montjane now owns a TV production company.

These are only some of the Miss South Africa success stories. But what about the contestants who fade into the background after winning? Do we blame the winner for not using the platform or has the pageant simply become irrelevant? Sun international PR manager and 2004 Miss South Africa Claudia Henkel says that the pageant is still relevant.

“We have moved into a new era. The Miss South Africa message for a new generation is clear: The Miss South Africa pageant is a powerful platform for developing potential.

"It is a celebration of the country’s savvy, smart and beautiful young women who are determined to be the best they can be while being true to themselves.

"In our eyes every finalist is a winner, not only the woman crowned Miss South Africa on the night of the pageant. They have been given exposure which they can build on – in the past; it is not only the winners who have gone onto hugely successful careers,” Henkel said.

 

According to Destiny Magazine, 2005 winner Thuli Sithole said “If one doesn’t take advantage of the platform that’s up to them. Being Miss SA can springboard you on to anything.”

Pageant sponsor Cell C says on their website that being the headline sponsor for the Miss South Africa pageant is part of their ongoing strategy to empower women.

Cell C’s Commercial Communications Executive, Suzette Van der Merwe, a former Miss South Africa herself, said in a press statement “We are honoured to be involved in an event that supports bold, confident and beautiful young women to realise their true potential and take up their power. Together we hope to find women who will inspire our nation and strive to make a real difference.”

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