The Top 12 Miss South Africa finalists, who are competing for the title of Miss South Africa 2015, have been announced.<\/p>\n
And Spruitview beauty Gugulethu Banda (21), is one of the 12.<\/p>
The Germiston City News introduced her to the community when she made the semi-finals (GCN, December 5, 2014).<\/p>\n
She will now compete for the prestigious title of Miss South Africa, at Sun City on March 29.<\/p>
Gugulethu is currently studying towards a BA in tourism development at the University of Johannesburg.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason I enrolled for this particular qualification is because of my love for travel and tourism,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI aspire to be a part of the South African tourism industry and be a business woman in that field.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to contribute towards making South Africa\u2019s tourism sector bigger than it already is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The young woman said the reason she wants to be Miss South Africa is because she strongly believes in beauty pageants being a representation of a woman\u2019s inner and outer beauty.<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss South Africa should inspire and empower women, both young and old, as well as represent her country in the best possible way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could do exactly that if given the platform,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The 12 finalists come from around the country.<\/p>\n
Seven are from Gauteng, three from the Western Cape and one each from Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga.<\/p>\n
Ziphozakhe Zokufa, the current Miss South Africa, who took the title after her predecessor Rolene Strauss was crowned Miss World, will crown her successor at the 2015 pageant.<\/p>\n
Zokufa is currently in the US competing in the Miss Universe pageant.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe we have a very strong Top 12; a group of young women who are passionate about competing and who have the intelligence, dedication and attitude to be a winner,\u2019 said Claudia Henkel, public relations manager for Sun International, the licence holders of Miss South Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe judges had a difficult task choosing the Top 12 from the 24 semi-finalists, but I am confident that the winner will prove to be a powerful ambassador for the Miss South Africa brand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suzette van der Merwe, executive: commercial communications for headline sponsor Cell C said, \u201cIt was extremely hard choosing ten finalists, to the extent that the panel of judges unanimously agreed to change the ten to a Top 12 as there were so many strong contestants.\u201d<\/p>\n
All finalists were presented with an 18 carat gold necklace with an onyx flower pendant courtesy of Jack Friedman Jewellers who made the Miss South Africa Palesa platinum crown.<\/p>\n
Other articles:<\/p>\n
Gorgeous Gugulethu is Germiston\u2019s Miss SA hope <\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n