Miss World: Who was the last Miss SA to compete and why?
Miss will not be sending a representative to the Miss World pageant this for the first time ever. Who was the Miss SA to compete?
This year marks the very first time in history where Miss South Africa will not be sending a Miss SA representative to Miss World.
The Miss SA organisation chose not to renew it’s licence with the pageant. Carol Bouwer’s company ultimately bought the licence to establish the Miss World South Africa pageant.
Dr Claude Mashego was crowned as the first-ever Miss World South Africa in October 2024. The beauty queen will represent South Africa at this year’s global pageant in Mumbai, India.
All eyes will be on Claude Mashego, watching her vying for the top crown against over 100 other countries.
WHO WAS THE LAST MISS SA TO COMPETE AT MISS WORLD?
Shudu Musida will go down in the history books as the last Miss SA to ever enter the Miss World pageant. This weekend, the inaugural titleholder of the newly established Miss World South Africa, will represent the country instead.
Musida – a 2020 winner – entered the pageant on 16 March 2022, which took place in Puerto Rico. After months of being delayed, the 71st pageant will take place on 9 March at the Jio International Convention Centre in India.
SHUDU WAS LAST MISS SA AT THE GLOBAL PAGEANT
After two years of delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 70th edition of the pageant took place in early 2022.
Although Shudu Musida Musida was crowned Miss SA in October 2020, she had to wait to strut her stuff at the global pageant, which was postponed in 2020, and again in 2021.
Hours before its kickoff on 16 December 2021, the international pageant was rescheduled due to a Covid-19 outbreak among contestants. And it wasn’t just Covid-19 that contestants were grappling with. According to insiders, the hotel in Puerto Rico was dealing with severe power cuts.
Like the previous crowning, the 2023 global pageant has also been delayed twice. It’s even changed locations from the UAE to India.
Now taking place in 2024, a new South African representative – who is NOT affiliated with the Miss SA pageant – is set to take the stage.
Pageant enthusiast Rina Hendriks told The South African: “Carol Bouwer Productions has since picked up the Miss World license in South Africa and has established the Miss World South Africa pageant.
In October, Claude Mashego was crowned the first-ever Miss World South Africa. The medical doctor will join beauty queens from over 100 different countries in vying for the crown.
WHY DID SHE CHOOSE MISS WORLD?
In many stances, the national titleholders choose to participate at the Miss Universe pageant.
However, Shudu Musida clarified confusion over her participation in the pageant on SABC 3’s Expresso show ahead of the competition.
She said at the time: “A lot of people ask me why I want to be Miss World. Well, the cornerstone of the pageant is the essence of who I am: beauty with a purpose.
“I’m very, very excited for that”.
The Miss World will kick off at 16:00 SA time on Saturday, 9 March. Here’s how you can watch it.