Miss South Africa’s decision to send recently crowned Miss SA Lalela Mswane to the Miss Universe competition in Israel has sparked outrage across the country.
Various organizations have called for countries to boycott the international contest in Israel later this year.
“We are not a political organization, and the Miss Universe pageant is not a politically driven event,” the Miss South Africa organization said in a statement.
Stephanie Weil, CEO of Miss SA, told Clement Manyathela that Mswane is not contractually obligated to compete in the competition, but she is going anyway.
The issue at hand is whether she wants to go or not and its a decision not taken lightly, it was after much consultation with both her and myself and the Miss Universe organisation talking about whether she wants to go or not and the truth is she does want to go and represent her country.
Weil says she will not engage in the political matter and she doesn’t know what Msweni will say at the pageant.
Miss South Africa and Miss Universe are around the empowerment of women empowerment and women coming together to bring about change by using their voices.
We all know that boycotting is not necessarily going to be the way that we are going to make a substantial difference, I truly don't believe not attending and not being able to showcase or use one's voice and being in that country is going to be the right thing.
One person is not going to make a change, 70 other countries are attending this event. If she isn't there she doesn't have a voice. Rather be there a make a change.
*This article was written by Philip Kitune for Uzalendo News. Email: uzalendonews24@gmail.com to submit your story.
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