DA councillor becomes Mr Gay South Africa

The new Mr Gay South Africa also happens to be in politics: he's a councillor for the Democratic Alliance.

Lance Weyer is a representative councillor for the DA in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, in the Eastern Cape. He also serves on the health and public safety standing committee and on the special programs strategic committee.

Weyer, 24, says on the Mr Gay SA website he is one of "the youngest municipal councillors in the country -- all as an OUT gay man".

He was crowned Mr Gay SA in a ceremony hosted by Cathy Specific and Frank Malaba in Johannesburg on Saturday.

An audience favourite, he received the most public votes and also walked away with the Bone Wear Underwear Model prize.

Weyer would like to be a role model to the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) youth, while his role model is the late US politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk, portrayed by Sean Penn in the Oscar-winning Gus van Sant film Milk.

Weyer says: "I want to show young people that if I can do it, anyone can do it! If the youth can see that I can be a successful self-confident person they can realise that can also be."

Weyer's first runner-up was Alexander Steyn, while Casper Bosman was second runner-up. Winners were chosen by judges and through SMS votes from the public.

On an international scale, Weyer has the standard set for him, with both the Mr Gay World 2010 and 2011 titles belonging to South Africans, Charl van den Berg and Francois Nel, respectively.

Mr Gay World 2012 competition will take place in Johannesburg next April.