Reigning Miss
Universe Zozibini Tunzi returns to South Africa next week to judge the Miss
South Africa 2020 pageant.
The all-female judging line-up includes some of the country’s most respected
and influential personalities with Tunzi being joined by Peggy-Sue Khumalo,
Anele Mdoda and Leandie du Randt. A fifth judge is still to be revealed.
Miss South Africa 2020 will be crowned at The Table Bay hotel in an
entertainment-packed event on Saturday, October 24, from 17:00. The event will
be screened live on M-Net and Mzansi Magic and will also be streamed online.
For Tunzi it seems surreal: “I was a contestant on stage just a year ago and
was in awe of the women on the judging panel.”
Tunzi went on to take the Miss South Africa crown before winning Miss Universe:
“I know what it is like first hand to be in the job that these incredible women
are applying for. I am excited to see how that experience will be of help in
the judging panel. One woman’s life is about to change and I am a part of a
panel that will make that happen. I am nervous but mostly humbled and excited
by it.”
So what will she be looking for in a potential Miss South Africa: “There are
different aspects to look out for, but I am mostly looking for someone with raw
authenticity and sincerity about who they are. I am not looking for perfection
or moral purity. Someone who has a voice and an aura about her that makes
almost everyone feel at ease when they come in contact with her because she
will be engaging with a lot of people in the year.
“My advice to the finalists ahead of the night is that when they hit the stage,
they must not be too much in their heads. They have done an incredible job in
the past few months, in and outside of their interviews. They have been the best
representation of themselves. Half of the handwork is done. The final night is
for them to be proud, to celebrate their achievement and to have fun.
Multi-award-winning, radio and TV presenter Anele Mdoda was one of the judges
in 2014 when Rolene Strauss went on to win Miss World and again last year when
Zozibini Tunzi took the Miss Universe crown. Does she believe that the pageant
and beauty contests have changed significantly in this time?
“I think they have changed and they have stayed the same. The premise is we are
still in a beauty pageant and for me that has always come in many shapes and
forms. What has changed is that for a long time we relied on the international
tone to tell us what beautiful is and now we are saying these are our
standards of beauty and we can’t be dictated to.”
Nonhlanhla Peggy-Sue Khumalo is the current Chief Executive of Standard Bank
Wealth, South Africa. Prior to joining the Standard Bank Group, she spent over
17 years with Investec Group. As a previous Miss South Africa title holder
(1996) she has plenty of wisdom for this year’s Top 10.
“I am inspired by
the successes of the Miss South Africa platform which provided a great
opportunity for me to empower myself and propelled me to break barriers.”
Her advice for the finalists: “I would say be bold and courageous, stay
curious, informed and invest in continuous learning opportunities. Be hungry
and when you get a shot take it! And remember your emotional, physical and
mental wellbeing are inter-linked and all three are equally important. I
believe any potential Miss South Africa winner has to be authentic, bold,
unapologetic and must be a symbol to not only assume the position of being Miss
South Africa but to exert influence on the decisions that determine our
communities common social and economic prosperity.”
Leandie du Randt explains what she will be bringing to the judging panel: “I have been in the entertainment industry for 12 years, as
an actress and entrepreneur which has exposed me to different kinds of people
and business environments. Working in these different scenarios has given me
the ability to recognise true authenticity, which I believe is one of the
main characteristics a true Miss South Africa should possess. I believe that
Miss SA is a big deal for the Afrikaans community and think that I will
represent them well. This has been a dream of mine for a while now and I can
only be intuitively inspired to make our country proud by judging from the
heart while using my sound mind.”
What she wants in the new Miss South Africa: “I am a
huge fan of true authenticity and showing up as your best self. I am looking
for a lady who has passion in her heart, mind and soul for what she stands for.
“I am looking for a lady who is captivating in the way that she lights up a room
with her inspiring and authentic energy, beliefs and being. I will also be
looking for a lady that has strength, warmth and a story of her own. My
key piece of advice: show up as your best self and trust your gut.”
Miss South Africa 2020 will be screened live on Saturday, October 24, from
17:00 on M-Net and Mzansi Magic as well as the live online stream with
exclusive behind the scenes content.
Subscriptions to live stream the Miss
South Africa 2020 pageant finale online are currently on sale. The pay per view
cost is $6.99 (R99.99 excluding VAT) and will include an exclusive pre-show,
online streaming of the Miss South Africa 2020 pageant finale, the opportunity
to see what happens backstage at the event and access to an exclusive post
crowning interview with Miss South Africa 2020. To sign up for this live event,
subscribe at www.misssa.live
The Top 10 Miss SA finalists who come from around the country are Aphelele
Mbiyo (Eastern Cape), Busisiwe Mmotla, Chantelle Pretorius, Jordan van der Vyver, Karishma
Ramdev, Lebogang Mahlangu, Melissa Nayimuli (Eastern Cape), Natasha Joubert, Shudufhadzo
Musida and Thato Mosehle.
