While the 1990s was the heyday of Miss South Africa, the pageant is slowly getting back on our radar, thanks to brilliant winners like Melinda
Bam, Rolene Strauss, Liesl Laurie and reigning Miss Universe, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters.
Their international success in Miss World and Universe have injected new life into the pageant and has once again shown the world that South Africa is a pageant powerhouse.
Noxolo Ndebele, Daniellé de Jager, Tamaryn Green, Karishma Ramdev and Margo Fargo- have been predicted to be in the top five
For the 60th edition of the pageant, which takes place tonight at Times Square in Pretoria, screened on Mzansi Magic and M-Net from 5.30pm and hosted by Bonang Matheba, it’s a celebration of many years of some of South Africa’s most beautiful women.
The likes of Basetsana Kumalo, Peggy Sue Khumalo, Kerishnie Naicker, Heather Hamilton, Jo-Ann Strauss and new generation winners like Bokang Montjane, Ntando Kunene and reigning Miss South Africa, Adé van Heerden, will all be present at tonight’s crowing.
This year the pageant has been updated. A Miss World South Africa and Miss Universe South Africa will be crowned and both will represent us at the international pageants. The ultimate winner, who then has the privilege of being Miss South Africa, will be chosen from between the two ladies.
So who will win? It’s a tricky one this year because the women are all deserving of the crown. After being able to correctly predict winners for four out of
the last five years, I’m taking a chance in once again predicting who will win this year’s Miss South Africa and the Top 5 contestants.
It’s one of the tightest years, even tighter than the 2014 group, when Strauss won Miss South Africa. This year, there are a number of front runners and fan favourites, which makes it very difficult to predict the Top 5.
Karishma Ramdev,
23: Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal
She may be one of the shortest, but she’s one of the top beauties in this group. She’s a fifth-year medical student at the University of Pretoria.
Tamaryn Green
, 23: Paarl, Western Cape
Another medical student, Tamaryn is in her final year and the front runner to win. She has all the elements needed to be a major success in the international pageants.
Margo Fargo
, 25: Heidedal, Free State
She’s the Miss Congeniality type. She has a consumer sciences honours degree. She fits the profile of a Miss South Africa, but I don’t know if she would do well internationally.
Noxolo Ndebele
, 25: Kwa-Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal
Noxolo is the dark horse of this year’s pageant and thanks to her model background, she is one to watch. She could do quite well at Miss World, if she wins. Noxolo works in finance.
Daniellé de Jager
, 20: Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
She’s the youngest in the group. The biokinetics student has a striking visage. She almost reminds me of eastern European beauty queens. I think she will give the winners a run for their money.
My choice for Miss World South Africa is: Karishma Ramdev
A post shared by Miss South Africa(@official_misssa) on May 15, 2018 at 9:30pm PDT
My choice for Miss Universe South Africa is: Tamaryn Green.
A post shared by Miss South Africa(@official_misssa) on May 21, 2018 at 7:05am PDT
And the overall winner? I think Tamaryn Green has what it takes to win it all.
Tamaryn Green for Miss Universe South Africa and the overall winner of Miss South Africa. Karishma Ramdev should win Miss World South Africa. PICTURE: Supplied by Miss South Africa Organisation