MISS SOUTH AFRICA 2017 SEMI-FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

And these are the 26 beauties hoping to be crowned as the fairest in the land in  the Miss South Africa 2017 beauty pageant to be held in March next year in Sun City. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

The Top 26 Miss South Africa semi-finalists – who are vying for the title of Miss South Africa 2017 – have been revealed. And among them are a medical doctor, a speech therapist, several law students, almost engineer, an owner of a construction company and a news reader on Soweto TV.

No surprises that two were Miss South Africa finalists (placed in the Top 12) in 2014 and 2015; one was awarded her Protea colours in rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 13 and was a gold medal winner at the All African Championships while another contestant is the daughter of a legendary former Bafana Bafana soccer captain.

Miss SA semi-finalists from Gauteng. PICTURE

The semi-finalists come from six of the country’s nine provinces: 14 are from Gauteng, six from the Western Cape, three from Kwa-Zulu Natal and one each from the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In Gauteng they come from Alexandra, Soweto, Johannesburg, Lenasia, Pretoria, Springs, Benoni and Krugersdorp and in the Western Cape semi-finalists hail from Cape Town, Herold’s Bay, Atlantis and Sedgefield. Kwa-Zulu Natal contestants come from Durban, Mtunzini and Port Shepstone.


They are (in alphabetical order):

Adè van Heerden – Herold’s Bay, Western Cape
Boipelo Mabe – Alexandra, Gauteng
Callie-Jo Bouman – Bellville, Cape Town, Western Cape
Chante Holloway – Atlantis, Western Cape
Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters – Sedgefield, Western Cape
Devoney Crossman – Greenstone, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Iman Mkwanazi – Lenasia, Gauteng
Jessica Tovey – Randparkridge, Johannesburg, Gauteng
Kayla Malherbe – Mtunzini, Kwa Zulu Natal
Keipeile Dintoe – Saulsville, Pretoria, Gauteng
Lou-Marie Taljaard – Bellville, Cape Town, Western Cape
Michelle Kruger – Witbank, Mpumalanga
Milanie Cilliers – Mokopane, Limpopo
Nicole van Niekerk - Môregloed, Pretoria, Gauteng
Nompumelelo Mampholo – Diepkloof, Soweto, Gauteng
Ntombikayise Msimango – Springs, Gauteng
Odirile Sepeng – Mabopane, Pretoria, Gauteng
Olin-Shae de la Cruz – Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape
Priyeshka Lutchman – Yellowwood Park, Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal
Saskia Wagner – Honeydew, Gauteng
Shané Naidoo – Benoni, Gauteng
Shelbe Pretorius – Pinehaven, Krugersdorp, Gauteng
Shenai Bridglall - Port Shepstone, Kwa Zulu Natal
Tshegofatso Monggae – Dobsonville, Soweto, Gauteng
Yuta Raubenheimer – Kameeldrift, Pretoria, Gauteng
Zozibini Tunzi – East London/Tsolo, Eastern Cape

Western Cape semi-finalists. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

KwaZulu-Natal semi-finalists. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

“We have a very talented and diverse Top 26 this year, a group of young women who are passionate about competing and who have the intelligence, dedication and attitude to take the crown,” says Claudia Henkel, PR Manager: Sun International, licence holders of Miss South Africa.

Suzette van der Merwe, Executive: Commercial Communications for headline sponsor Cell C adds: “The competition attracted high calibre entrants this year.  We believe these young women are passionate about the opportunities associated with wearing the Miss South Africa crown and do their country proud.”

Mpumalanga semi-finalist. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

East London beauty Zozibini Tunzi is one of the 26 most beautiful girls announced to be vying for the Miss SA 2017 crown. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

The young woman who is crowned Miss South Africa 2017 will automatically become the spokesperson for the Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work Day initiative.

Ntandoyenkosi Kunene, the current Miss South Africa, will crown her successor at the 2017 pageant. She will be leaving at the end of the year to compete in the Miss World and Miss Universe pageants.
 
Miss South Africa is the most prestigious pageant in South Africa, boasting a Miss Universe and three Miss Worlds, and the women who have worn the crown are icons in many different spheres of life. That is the hope, and dream, of every one of the Top 26 semi-finalists: to have her portrait hung in that hall of fame.

Limpopo semi-finalist. PICTURE SUPPLIED

Miss South Africa 2017 will receive R1-million in cash from sponsors Sun International and Cell C as well as a bouquet of prizes that will elevate the competition to one of the richest pageants in the world.
 
The Miss South Africa Pageant is a proud collaboration between Sun International and Cell C. The new Miss South Africa 2017 will be crowned at Sun City on March 26 and simulcast live on Mzansi Magic (Channel 161) and M-Net (Channel 101). - release by NineSquared