After the winner and first runner-up of the controversial Mr Gay World SA recused themselves, the country’s hopes of bagging the global title are now pinned on a Johannesburg cancer survivor.
Mr Gay World organisers announced that Actonville resident Shanon Kannigan will be SA’s representative at the global contest next month in Cape Town.
Kannigan, second runner-up in Mr Gay World SA 2021, was awarded the title after his two counterparts bowed out.
The announcement comes amid a legal battle playing out between Mr Gay World SA 2021 Louw Breytenbach — who was crowned in October last year and resigned two months into his reign — and Gay World Events, the Gay World Foundation and its co-founders John-Louis O’Neil and Johann Dion van Niekerk.
The foundation is seeking an order from the Pretoria high court for Breytenbach, 31, to retract statements made to the media regarding his short tenure.
The matter is before court.
Being a cancer survivor awakened a realisation that tomorrow is not guaranteed.
— Shanon Kannigan
“Kannigan was formally inducted as the new Mr Gay World SA at this year’s Pink Loerie Mardi Grass Arts Festival in Knysna, after the winner and the first runner-up recused themselves from the title,” Mr Gay World said in a statement.
“When I initially entered I would have never guessed this would be the outcome. My aim is for any person who is plus-sized, gay or even from an unfortunate background to say ‘if Shanon can do it, I can do it’,” Kannigan told TimesLIVE Premium.
“Being a cancer survivor awakened a realisation that tomorrow is not guaranteed.
“If anyone asked me to describe myself I would say I am a mosaic — a fixture of art made up of broken pieces. Sometimes life is going to try to break you but pick up your pieces and let others admire your beautiful piece of art,” said Kannigan.
Breytenbach resigned in December saying he was unhappy about a lack of transparency on how the foundation conducted its business and refused to sign a contract, saying he had issues related to remuneration.
The organisation is also suing Breytenbach’s publicist, Gavin Prins. Breytenbach and Prins are opposing the application.
Despite the legal woes, the organisers are forging ahead with their plans and said: “This is an annual competition where delegates of national pageants from their respective countries gather and compete to become the next ambassador of the organisation by assuming the title of Mr Gay World through a series of weeklong contests preceding the final.
“The competition is not only about beauty and the physical structure, but rather a platform where the individual delegates advocate for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and collaborate to exchange ideas with their counterparts from other countries in advancing the mission and visions of Mr Gay World.”
The event set to take place at the Artscape Opera House on October 15.
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