Let's take responsibility, says new Miss SA

Published Dec 10, 2000

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By Zanele Mngadi

People who don't take responsibility for their lives bring out the beast in beauty Jo-Ann Strauss.

"I find it unacceptable when people depend a lot on our leaders. It has become a culture in South Africa that people know too much about their rights and forget about their responsibilities. Leaders are just there to help us and they need a lot of support from us," the newly crowned Miss South Africa said on Sunday.

Strauss, who describes herself as enthusiastic, spontaneous and positive, doesn't know exactly how she is going to fulfil her promises of highlighting child and woman abuse or educating the youth on human rights, but says: "I don't want to bind myself yet. I need a little more time to think this through because honestly I never thought I'd win. I'm a full-time B Comm student at Stellenbosch University and I've done very little professional modelling."

She wants to use her title to encourage people, particularly the youth, to be proactive and to project a positive attitude.

What matters most in her life, Strauss says, is her family - her mother Ingrid, her father Johan and her baby brother Heinrich.

"My mother has had a big influence in my life. She works as a marketer and it was only four years back that she got her matric. Not many adult people with jobs can bother themselves with education."

The first princess was Layla Jeevanantham, 22, from Naturena, Johannesburg, and Claire Drew, 22, from Sandton was crowned second princess.

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