The Top 12 Miss South Africa finalists, who are competing for the title of Miss South Africa 2015, have been announced.
And Spruitview beauty Gugulethu Banda (21), is one of the 12.
The Germiston City News introduced her to the community when she made the semi-finals (GCN, December 5, 2014).
She will now compete for the prestigious title of Miss South Africa, at Sun City on March 29.
Gugulethu is currently studying towards a BA in tourism development at the University of Johannesburg.
“The reason I enrolled for this particular qualification is because of my love for travel and tourism,” she said.
“I aspire to be a part of the South African tourism industry and be a business woman in that field.
“I want to contribute towards making South Africa’s tourism sector bigger than it already is.”
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’s inner and outer beauty.
“Miss South Africa should inspire and empower women, both young and old, as well as represent her country in the best possible way.
“I could do exactly that if given the platform,” she said.
The 12 finalists come from around the country.
Seven are from Gauteng, three from the Western Cape and one each from Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga.
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.
Zokufa is currently in the US competing in the Miss Universe pageant.
“We 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,’ said Claudia Henkel, public relations manager for Sun International, the licence holders of Miss South Africa.
“The 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.”
Suzette van der Merwe, executive: commercial communications for headline sponsor Cell C said, “It 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.”
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.
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