Over the years, the Miss South Africa pageant has shone a light on some of Mzansi’s most exceptional young women and today, Lalela Mswane won the hearts of the judges and the country and has officially been crowned Miss South Africa 2021.
The crowning took place at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town on Saturday 16 October 2021. The event, which was hosted by Anele Mdoda and Nico Panagio, saw the 24-year-old take home the epic crown. Miss Universe title holders, 2018 winner Catriona Gray and her 2019 successor Zozibini Tunzi, were backstage presenters.
The all-women selection panel line-up included respected and influential personalities with reigning Miss Universe Andrea Meza joined by Miss Universe 2015, TV personality, model and actress Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach; former Miss South Africa title holders Basetsana Kumalo (1994) and Tamaryn Green (2018); actress Shannon Esra (The Queen); vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town Mamokgethi Phakeng and radio and TV presenter Dineo Ranaka.
Lalela, who comes from KwaSokhulu in Richards Bay, graduated with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Pretoria. She is also a model and a dancer.
Mswane received R1 million in cash as well as a further R3 million worth of sponsorships and prizes, including the use of a fully furnished and serviced apartment at the luxurious Central Square Sandton, with fabulous interior décor by Vursa, and a Mercedes Benz C-Class Sedan for the year of her reign.
The two runners-up were Moratwe Masima, a qualified doctor from Midrand in Gauteng, and BCom Law degree student Zimi Mabunzi from eQonce (King William’s Town) Eastern Cape. Both received R175 000.
These Top Three will represent South Africa at the world’s three most prestigious pageants – Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss Supranational. The person going to which competition will be revealed in coming days as the Miss South Africa Organisation decides which candidate would do the best at which pageant.
“During the journey towards this title, I made unemployment the cornerstone of all the causes I care for because it not only affects our youth but is the source of many of the social ills so prevalent in South Africa,” Lalela says during her Miss South Africa acceptance speech. “It is now my duty as Miss South Africa to ensure that I start the conversation about unemployment amongst our youth and seek meaningful solutions which will have long-lasting effects towards its rebate
She adds “My campaign aims to offer support to young people to assist them to create their own employment opportunities by means of entrepreneurial skills and, in doing so, empowering them to be self-sufficient and to secure their own economic futures. I neither take the magnitude of the task lightly nor for granted because I know unemployment is a complex issue. But action towards its reduction is necessary today more than ever. Let us get ready to create and build healthy and sustainable entrepreneurial opportunities, take ownership of and shape our own futures. There’s never been a better time to do so!
Finally, Lalela concludes “A heartfelt note of gratitude to my fellow Miss South Africa 2021 sisters for making this journey so incredibly amazing. My beautiful South Africa, now that I have been so warmly welcomed into your hearts, I hope to bring you as much joy and pride as I can. My role now to encourage, to inspire, to give hope and to continue to work and build onto the legacies of Miss South Africa’s past. I intend to live by every word I have expressed and to serve, lead and represent our beautiful nation to the best of my abilities”.
We look forward to seeing what Lalela has planned during her reign.
