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IN PICTURES: Contestants feel the heat in chilli pod eating contest

Contestants at the Chilli Festival in Boksburg had to eat a number of whole chillies, starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper.

Israel Molefe during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Israel Molefe during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival at Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillies starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Jene Brits and Lara Pienaar feeling confident ahead of the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Jene Brits and Lara Pienaar feeling confident ahead of the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Tumelo Mabunda during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Tumelo Mabunda struggles with the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

The Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — The Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Jene Brits starts to feel the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Jene Brits starts to feel the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition at the Chilli Festival at Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

The crowd watches on during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — The crowd watches on during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Tumelo Mabunda during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Tumelo Mabunda struggles during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Jene Brits starts to feel the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Jene Brits really feeling the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition at the Chilli Festival at Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

The Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — The Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillies starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

The hottest commercially available chilli in the world, the Carolina Reaper during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Robert Codd during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Robert Codd during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Jene Brits and Lara Pienaar start to feel the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Jene Brits and Lara begin to feel the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Walter Muvhango recovers with milk after winning the Chip Challenge at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Walter Muvhango recovers with milk after winning the Chilli Chip Challenge at the Chilli Festival at Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Louis Hecker shows the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Louis Hecker shows the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillies starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Ernest Salzwedel, the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion at the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before the hottest chilli in the world. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Jene Brits and Lara Pienaar start to feel the heat during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Jene Brits and Lara Pienaar suffer during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Israel Molefe during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the California Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Israel Molefe during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

The hottest commercially available chilli in the world, the Carolina Reaper during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion.. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — The hottest commercially available chilli in the world, the Carolina Reaper during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

Israel Molefe during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. The contestants had to eat a number of whole chillis starting from the Jalapeno all the way to the Carolina Reaper, but the competition was won one chilli before with Ernest Salzwedel being the last man standing after eating the Trinidad Maruga Scorpion. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — Israel Molefe during the Chilli pod eating competition held at the Chilli Festival in Heckers nursery in Boksburg, 3 March 2024. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

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