Twitter users have accused Miss SA organizers for favouring Lalela Mswane and shunning Shudu Musida with their recent announcement
Miss SA organizers have found themselves trending again for all the wrong reasons. This, after tweeps called them out for “unfair treatment”
Last year, organisers and Miss SA winner Lalela Mswane, faced a social media storm after choosing to participate in the Miss Universe pageant in Israel.
This time around, tweeps are accusing organizers of treating former winner Shudu Musida “unfairly”. This follows news that Lalela will be competing in the Miss Supranational pageant.
SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR LALELA?
Lalela Mswane found herself the target of many angry tweets after organizers announced that she will be participating in the July 2022 pageant.
Miss Supranational – which was last year attended by Miss SA first runner-up Thato Mosehle – will take place in Poland.
The news comes as a surprise to fans who were under the impression that runner-up Moratwe Masima would be attending the international pageant.
See the Tweet By Miss SA Organizers below:
Now, tweeps have accused Lalela and Miss SA of being “selfish” and denying the runners-up an opportunity to compete. This, after Lalela competed at the Miss Universe pageant in Israel in December 2021.
Last year, for the first time in Miss SA pageant history, organisers sent their top three to a trio of international pageants: Miss Universe, Miss World and, for the first time ever, Miss Supranational.
Lalela’s predecessor Shudu, chose to attend the Miss World pageant – which has been postponed twice to March 2022 – whilst second runner-up Natasha Joubert attended the Miss Universe pageant in May 2021 (postponed from December 2020)
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic delaying the pageants, just seven months later, another Miss Universe pageant took place. This time Lalela placed second runner-up.
Previously, the Miss SA winners were allowed to compete at both Miss Universe and Miss World pageants. However, this “rule” changed after Shudu seemingly took the title in 2020.
However things have seemingly reverted back to normal.
See some of the criticisms below:
Miss SA CEO Stephanie Weil defended their actions in a statement to Channel 24.
She said: “It is also not uncommon for the same representative to attend more than one international competition during their year of reign should the international pageant’s dates and timeline allow for it.”
TWITTER USERS ACCUSE MISS SA OF ‘ROBBING’ SHUDU
Despite local pageant organisers attempt to justify their actions, many tweeps think Shudu was given a raw deal during her reign
“Shudu was the reigning Miss SA therefore she was supposed to attend all three like the previous winners. Instead introduce new rules during her reign, and that raises my eyebrows”
“Organisers did Shudu dirty with the new principles they introduced during her reign”
“Why did they allow Natasha and Thato represent SA in different pageant and not allow Shudu to do all the work since she was the Miss SA?”
Meanwhile, Shudu is currently campaigning for South Africans to help her advance to the Top 12 of Miss World 2021. The pageant takes place on 16 March 2022 in Puerto Rico.