Mrs Mpumalanga 2020 crowned in glitzy affair

MBOMBELA – The year-long journey for Mrs Mpumalanga and the Provincial Mpumalanga Ms Crowning 2020
culminated in the crowning ceremony at the Communio Church auditorium on Saturday night.

The glitzy affair drew a large number of supporters who cheered their favourite finalist on as they strutted their stuff on the catwalk. This year’s pageant included the addition of the Provincial Mpumalanga Ms 2020 (26 years and above, single, divorced or widowed), which was a first.

Pageant director Jacques Lombard reminded everyone that the pageant was about more than beauty. The finalists underwent a week of rigorous interviews in what Lombard referred to as “pageant week” and the judges picked their
brains intensively before the crowning.

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The evening was themed “A night at the Oscars” and certainly lived up to expectations as attendees were dressed in their best finery while proceedings were under way. It was an evening filled with entertainment and the hosts Marsha Keen and Eulander Nanni provided countless moments of suspense.

The pair kept the audience on their toes throughout the evening before the judges’ decision was announced.

The Danny’s Angels duo of sisters, Joanne Fisher Steyn and Danniele Fisher, belted out a few well-known Whitney Houston numbers as the finalists made their way on stage and the Dance for Life productions troupe performed a number of routines highlighting the scourge of gender-based violence which is plaguing South Africa.

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The dance routines were choreographed by world champion choreographer, Gerhard van Rooyen. Renowned author of best-seller Refuelling Your Life, Timothy Maurice Webster, took to the stage and said, “Wear your crown with
conviction in 2020.”

The outgoing Mrs Mpumalanga, Morongwa Dlamini, addressed the contestants via a video feed and encouraged them to be bold and resilient.

“Take on the mantle and serve Mpumalanga with pride and compassion,” she said.

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There was no drum roll needed as Mrs Mpumalanga 2020 was announced. Roxy van Bruwaene walked away with the
coveted title, while Zandile Ngwenya was crowned the Provincial Mpumalanga Ms 2020.

Lombard and CEO and executive producer Zané Jansen van Rensburg thanked the pageant’s sponsors and the team for making the evening such a roaring success.

“Success is never my own. I am only as good as the people I surround myself with, “ Lombard said.

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The other finalists, all worthy winners in their own right, were:

• Mrs Mpumalanga Charity – Affie Botes
• First runner-up – Portia Nompumelelo
• Second runner-up – Wandile Litheko
• Photogenic – Phumzile Mashiloane
• Social media – Lungile Thabela.
Provincial Mpumalanga Ms 2020 winners:
• Provincial Mpumalanga Ms Winner –
Zanele Ngwenya
• Provincial Mpumalanga Ms Charity –
Potego Sekome
• First runner-up – Marinda Pieterse
• Second runner-up – Memory Ngobeni
• Photogenic – Marinda Pieterse
• Social media – Buyile Khoza.