By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Government has withdrawn its support for the Miss South Africa pageant after it was unable to convince organisers to pull out of the Miss Universe pageant which will be held in Israel in December.
In a statement on Sunday, the Department of Sports, Art and Culture announced it would no longer support the pageant because of Miss South Africa organisers’s “intransigence and disregard” of advice against sending Miss SA Lalela Mswane to compete in the Miss Universe pageant.
Newly-crowned Miss SA Mswane is set to participate in the 70th Miss Universe pageant in December.
There has, however, been mounting pressure for the Miss South Africa (Miss SA) organisation to boycott the pageant.
In response, the Miss SA organisation refused to bow to the pressure, saying they’re not a political organisation.
Anyone who wants to rob Lalela of her moment in the spotlight is unkind and short-sighted. She is a shining beacon for young women everywhere, showing them that being beautiful while being clever and educated is very possible.
“We are not a political organisation and the Miss Universe pageant is not a politically inspired event,” she concluded.
In a statement, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa said Miss SA’s decision lacked “appreciation of the potential negative impact of such a decision on the reputation and future of a young black woman”.
“The atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians are well documented and government, as the legitimate representative of the people of South Africa, cannot in good conscience associate itself with such,” said Mthethwa.
The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture even used the words of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to convey their message.
“Indicating that Israel was guilty of the apartheid treatment of Palestinians, [Tutu] said, ‘Their humiliation is familiar to all black South Africans who were corralled and harassed and insulted and assaulted by the security forces of the apartheid government.”
Although Mthethwa conceded that the individual interest of Mswane would be affected by not taking part in Miss Universe, he said the reasons for the withdrawal far outweigh individual interests.
“If anything,by withdrawing, Miss South Africa’s reputation and overall standing will be far more advanced in South Africa and internationally in comparison to a once off event that can prove disastrous to her future and public standing as a young, black woman,” said Mthethwa.