The EFF's former general secretary Godrich Gardee speaks to the media outside the Consitutional Court in Johannesburg on 5 September 2017. The court heard the EFF's bid to have President Jacob Zuma impeached. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia
A letter sent by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) secretary-general Godrich Gardee to the organisers of the Miss South Africa pageant accuses them of “racism”, Sunday World reports.
The letter suggests that only “white-owned companies” are contracted to provide goods and services at the pageant, and states that the pageant “looks like a platform that is being used to promote white people in South Africa”.
Gardee sent a series of questions to the organisers.
These include him requesting to be informed of “who the sponsors” are, an attempt to discover who provides goods and services, and his questioning what strategy the organisers have to increase black participation from service providers.
The letter then asks: “If Miss South Africa is a platform to promote white people and discriminate against black service providers, why should it be called Miss South Africa?”
Responding to Sunday World, managing director of the pageant Stephanie Weil said the majority of the event’s suppliers are BEE complaint.
She also highlighted that their has been an increase in the diversity of contestants, adding that an official response would soon be issued.
READ MORE: Meet your Miss South Africa top 16
The full story is available in Sunday World.
Channel24 recently reported that the organisers of Miss SA have made an effort to ensure a diverse top 16 this year.
This reportedly includes a line-up of contestants reflecting different body types and, for the first time, an openly gay contestant.
The 16 finalists who will compete in the Miss South Africa pageant main event on Women’s Day – August 9 – at Sun International’s flagship venue, the Sun Arena at Time Square, Pretoria, were announced last Thursday morning.
The top 16 (who will receive R25,000 each) were revealed at an event hosted by the pageant’s organisers and MC’d by Bonang Matheba.
The likes of Nompumelelo Maduna, Danielle Wallace, Kgothatso Dithebe and Chuma Matsaluka will go head to head for a grand prize of up to R3 million in value.
The grand prize will be made up of R1 million in cash as well as a car and other fabulous prizes. The first princess will take home R250,000 in cash.
To meet your Miss SA 2018 top 16, see here.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Background reporting, Kaunda Selisho)
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