Reigning Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi met her successor Miss South Africa 2019 Sasha-Lee Olivier for the first time in person since the Covid-19 lockdown.
They appeared together at a media conference at The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town ahead of the Miss South Africa 2020 pageant on Saturday.
City of Cape Town Alderman JP Smith welcomed them and the Miss South Africa Organisation to the Mother City saying this was a “highlight of 2020”: “You’ve brought the glamour and eye of the world to Cape Town.”
Both beauty queens talked about their experiences of lockdown.
Said Olivier: “If you didn’t bake or make banana bread then you weren’t in lockdown! Seriously, it has been a different reign for both of us and has been difficult at times, as being Miss South Africa is a very hands-on role. However, we had to learn to carry on and our voices were amplified in the virtual space. I felt defeated at first but soon learnt the importance of being resilient.”
Her views were echoed by Tunzi: “Travel is a huge part of the Miss Universe job and I did miss human interaction. However, as the lockdown continued, I realised my message didn’t die and travel doesn’t make you a good Miss Universe ambassador. I landed up going to so many countries ’virtually’.
“It was challenging being cut off from what was happening in South Africa and the African continent. Despite the corruption and the negativity, humanity is still alive. People showed up for each other.”
Both women said they were impressed with this year’s candidates: “They all have different voices and stand for different things. Whoever wins is going to be a great ambassador for this country. We wish her well.”
The Top 10 Miss SA finalists, who come from around the country, are Aphelele Mbiyo, Busisiwe Mmotla, Chantelle Pretorius, Jordan van der Vyver, Karishma Ramdev, Lebogang Mahlangu, Melissa Nayimuli, Natasha Joubert, Shudufhadzo Musida and Thato Mosehle.
Miss South Africa 2020 will be crowned at The Table Bay Hotel in an entertainment-packed event on Saturday, October 24, from 17h00. The show will be televised live – across the continent – on M-Net DStv channel 101 and Mzansi Magic DStv channel 161.
A live online stream with exclusive behind the scenes content is also available. 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 (Miss South Africa’s exclusive content online platform).