Miss Limpopo 2014 search pays off

BURGERSFORT – It was indeed a teary moment when beautiful Sheila Mmutle, Miss Limpopo 2013 handed the crown and title to Kholofelo Lekganyane at the Miss Limpopo 2014 gala event last Saturday.

Sheila Mmutle hails from Moroke near Burgersfort and became somewhat of a role model to young girls in the community. Luckily this is not the last they have seen of her as she secured a place in the top 33 of the Miss SA 2014 pageant that will be held at Sun City on March 30 next year.

The purpose of the Miss Limpopo pageant is to unearth talent, empower and provide a voice to young women at each corner of the province through training, development, coaching, mentoring and grooming. This can facilitate their beneficial exposure to the world to access available opportunities and allow them to soar.

“In the six-week programme the Miss Limpopo Trust teaches the girls that giving is receiving. Miss Limpopo has to be beautiful from the inside and out. This year a new segment was added to the pageant called ”beauty with a brain”. All the finalists had to do serious community work of their choice in the six weeks before crowning,” said Ms Rene Kidd, programme director.

The girls were given information on how to plan and execute a charity project of their choice. It was compulsory for the finalist to have had media coverage and photos of all her work that was then presented to a judging panel. The finalist with the most marks was crowned as beauty with a brain.

“All the finalists had to design and create an outfit from recycled material and there was some amazing designs. The gala event was filled with excitement from the quests and the venue was beautiful and fit for a queen. The event kicked off with the finalists parading in swimwear followed by a showcasing of their recycled outfits. Lastly the girls impressed in gorgeous evening gowns designed by Nico Willoughby-Smith, Erica Mengouchi and Carol Mokabaki,” said Ms Kidd.

The Miss Limpopo winners are: Kholofelo Lekganyane, Miss Limpopo 2014, Sophia Tshabalala, First Princess and Ntsetselelo Mkansi, Second Princess. The Miss Congeniality title went to Annah Malatji and Kedibone Mohlapamafsi was crowned as Miss Photogenic. Sophia Tshabalala was crowned as the Top Model and Kholofelo Lekganyane as Beauty with a brain.

The Miss Limpopo Teen winners are: Tiane Ströh, Miss Limpopo Teen 2014, Lebogang Malatji, First Princess and Rethabile Monyane, Second Princess. Gail Mokwatlo was crowned as the Top Model, Rethabile Monyani as Miss Congeniality and Lebogang Malatji as Beauty with a brain.

The Miss Limpopo finalists honoured the memory of Tata Nelson Mandela at the gala event on Saturday night with a candle ceremony, and a moment of silence.