YOU magazine slammed for 'lack of diversity' over Miss SA cover choice

The latest issue of YOU magazine has sparked controversy after a Miss SA feature used as the main cover story was singled-out for a "lack of diversity" as only two white title holders were used.

The magazine cover features the newly crowned Miss SA Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and former Miss SA and Miss World Rolene Strauss speaking about their lives as "beauty queens and role models".

The magazine's cover was posted on Miss SA's official Instagram account and immediately received criticism for its "lack of diversity" and "failure to be more inclusive."

So Miss SA or You Magazine only put two white women on their cover. Worse are some of the patronizing responses to inquiries. pic.twitter.com/zXjtVqPvmr

— Khaya Dlanga (@khayadlanga) May 5, 2017

Considering the recent controversies about Miss SA, they could have foreseen the response to this cover, if they did, they did not care.

— Khaya Dlanga (@khayadlanga) May 5, 2017

@khayadlanga I remember throughout Miss SA I specifically asked a black MUA because I felt like the white MUAs did not cater to my skin.

— Iman Mkwanazi (@ImanMkwanazi) May 5, 2017

@khayadlanga The organization has a long way to go in terms of transformation

— Iman Mkwanazi (@ImanMkwanazi) May 5, 2017

@khayadlanga ++Found hardly any black cover girls on high fashion or general interest magazines. Only in tabloids.  

— Ginevra Cat (@GinevraCat) May 5, 2017

@khayadlanga And I was kind of expecting it, but not to that degree. Media could do so much social good with a little deliberate inclusivity

— Ginevra Cat (@GinevraCat) May 5, 2017

Questions were posed in the comments section of the post about why previous and prominent winners including Liesl Laurie and Ntandoyenkosi Kunene weren't considered cover options.

The response from the official Miss SA Instagram account said that the reason they had not been used was because "Liesl was a busy woman" and Ntando was on a "well deserved break."

Lisel has disputed this, and through her publicist Jarryd Doyle confirmed she was not asked to be part of the cover.

"She has never been asked to be on the cover. Liesl and ProVerb have been asked to do a feature, not for main cover, but a general interview. They have declined as they won't discuss their private lives," he said.

Miss SA officials have since backtracked, saying the request came directly from YOU magazine and have apologised for the "oversight."

"As an organization we feel that the manner in which it was handled was an oversight on our part and proper procedures where not followed. The Miss South Africa organization outsources certain portions of the management of social media accounts to third party companies," said Sun International's Claudia Henkel.

Repeated attempts to get comment from YOU magazine and Media24 were made. At the time of publishing this article there was no response.