Beauty pageant on hold

THE Miss eThekwini Municipality pageant has been put on hold.

Deputy City Manager, Dr Musa Gumede, clarified the confusion surrounding the hosting of Miss eThekwini and Miss eThekwini Municipality at a meeting last week, after some councillors had alleged that the beauty pageant organised by Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) Unit had already taken place without the necessary authorisation.

Dr Gumede said that the pageant that had taken place was different to the one that had been brought before the committee and was not in any way affiliated with the PRC Unit.

“The one proposed by PRC is Miss eThekwini Municipality. Preparations for the pageant have been put on hold pending further discussion within the committee,” said Gumede.

In September, ward councillor, Nicole Graham said the Miss eThekwini pageant, had come under heated discussion in July when it was revealed the city was preparing to spend more than R1-million on the event. She raised concerns that it appeared the pageant was going ahead despite not having received approval from eThekwini council.

Graham called the pageant “wasteful expenditure” when it was raised in council in July, and said it was an “absolute disgrace” that the city was prepared to spend so much money on a beauty pageant when it claimed there was not money to increase security in well-known crime hot-spots throughout the city where women were often victims.

“Parks money cannot be used so flagrantly while our parks are not safe, clean and user-friendly for all who use them,” she said.