The Miss SA pageant is reinventing itself as a reality show.
"We want the public to get to know the girls long before the pageant night so we've changed the format of the production, tracking the girls' progress through the competition," said Alison McKie, spokesman for pageant owners Sun International.
Former Miss S A Melinda Bam has been appointed national executive of the brand.
''Twelve girls will make it into the final and we'll watch their journey the whole way. The girls will have two months to activate and build their brands and the cameras will follow their every move," said Bam.
''We're going to show everything, the cattiness behind the scenes, the good, the bad, but not the ugly - it's Miss SA, so there's no ugly," she said.
Other changes include moving the final from December to March so that the winner can reign in the year she was crowned, and empowering women.
"We'll be pushing health issues, entrepreneurship and presenting scholarships for young girls," said Bam.
The final will still take place at Sun City.
''We'll be asking questions that show the girls' real character, their values rather than their views on world peace.
''The idea of being a role model is problematic in South Africa where sports stars and politicians have been put on pedestals and have let us down. We want our ambassadors to have character that transgresses beauty."
Current Miss SA Marilyn Ramos will represent South Africa at the Miss World competition on September 28.
''I'm going to do an African gum boot dance," Ramos said.
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