Preparing Your Miss SA Entry

Below you will find answers to questions frequently posed by young women who are interested in becoming the next Miss South Africa. You will read about the roles and responsibilities as well as gain access to a host of helpful tips which will assist you when preparing your entry form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which qualities are required to be a successful Miss South Africa?

Miss South Africa needs to be many different things to many different people. Essentially, Miss SA needs to be a people’s person as she will spend most of her time engaging with the many different citizens of South Africa. She needs to be charismatic, enjoy conversing, organised, reliable and a team-player. To her sponsors, Miss South Africa needs to be grateful and appreciative and to the youth, Miss South Africa needs to be a well-spoken, upstanding role-model who exhibits appropriate behaviour and a positive attitude. Finally, Miss South Africa needs to be humble enough to recognise that only one woman in the country is afforded the opportunity she has received and respect the enormity of her role overall.

How does Miss South Africa function and what are her main responsibilities?

The Miss South Africa brand is owned by Sun International.

Sun International not only facilitates the annual competition, but also provides Miss South Africa with a manager and support during the course of the year. Miss South Africa’s schedule is the responsibility of the Miss South Africa Office, based in Johannesburg.

Miss South Africa also has an obligation to her sponsors and endorses their particular products or expertise. Primarily, Sun International invests in Miss South Africa by paying the license fees which enable her to represent the country internationally, in both the Miss Universe (owned by Donald Trump) and Miss World (owned by Julia Morley) pageants.

Does Miss South Africa have to come from the Gauteng province?

No, Miss SA can come from any area of South Africa, but during her reign she must move to the official townhouse in Johannesburg as this is where Sun International is based.

Although she lives in Johannesburg, Miss SA travels across the country to attend various functions and events. Very often she will stay at the Sun International property in that province, for example at the five-star Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, or at Sibaya in KwaZulu Natal.

Previous winners of Miss SA have come from some of South Africa’s largest cities and some of its smallest towns in rural areas.

The ruling of international competitions applies: this means that even South African women who have been living or modelling abroad are entitled to enter Miss South Africa, provided that theymeet the entry criteria and make themselves available to the pageant organisers for interviews, rehearsals and during the course of the production.

Will entering Miss South Africa clash with my university studies or tertiary education requirements?

Being Miss SA is a full-time career for a year. The winner takes occupancy of the official townhouse in Johannesburg and, subsequently, would have to postpone her university or academic studies for the duration of her term of office (until a new Miss South Africa is crowned).

Many entrants are students as often women within the age bracket, 18 – 25, have enrolled at a tertiary institution of some kind and are working towards qualifying as professionals. Sun International endorses the importance of education and every effort is made to accommodate the needs of those finalists who have academic commitments and examinations. The Miss South Africa final event is held in December each year, once universities have closed for the year.

How does the Miss South Africa judging system work?

Much care has been put into developing an adjudicating process which mirrors, as closely as possible, the two major international competitions in which Miss South Africa will compete: Miss Universe and Miss World. Judges are chosen for their expertise and experience within the beauty pageant industry and a principal judge oversees the entire process to ensure standardisation. Every elimination round is carefully scrutinised by PWC to ensure that the outcome can be deemed transparent.

Firstly, women are invited to complete a formal application and submit * two recent photographs. The judges then choose which of the applicants they would like to meet face-to-face and these candidates are invited to regional interviews, which are held in centres throughout South Africa. Those candidates who excel at regional level become semi-finalists and are called to what has become known as the workshop judging stage. After a number of days of lectures, guest talks, tutorials, practical applications and more intensive interviews, the top 12 finalists are chosen. These 12 finalists go on to compete in the live, televised pageant in December.

*The importance of excellent photographs cannot be emphasised enough.

What does Miss South Africa win?

Miss South Africa is the recipient of much generosity from her sponsors who, in turn, cater to almost her every whim. She receives a prize package which rivals the international competitions. The most important thing Miss South Africa wins, however, is an assortment of opportunities to grow, develop and give back to the country which she represents.

What is the most difficult part about entering Miss South Africa?

It is always difficult to enter competitions of this nature. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is that so very much of it is out of your direct control. Different judges emphasise different qualities and beauty, obviously, can be subjective. Adopt a healthy, grounded approach when entering Miss South Africa. Aim to excel in each of the various judging rounds, but know that there are many other strong career opportunities out there besides the Miss South Africa platform. Do not give up hope. A number of Miss South Africa winners were only awarded the title on their second, or sometimes even their third, attempt.

What can I do to increase my chances of doing well when entering Miss South Africa?

Official scouts have been appointed in each of the regions to offer applicants guidance, support and advice. These scouts are specifically appointed and employed by Sun International and receive a definitive brief in January each year.

Complete the application form neatly, clearly and legibly and ensure that copies of all the necessary documentation have been securely attached. Spend time choosing the photographs which you want to submit as this constitutes the first elimination round. Do your photographs show you off to your best advantage and do they definitely align you to Miss South Africa’s main responsibilities?

Do you have any tips for filling out the entry form?

When filling out your entry form, read it very carefully and check before you send it off. Here are some tips to follow:

Ensure that all information requested on the entry form is completed.
Entry form must be completed in a clear and concise way – it’s easier and neater to complete the online form.
All documents requested must accompany the entry form.
Accurate height measurement is imperative.
Photographs must be the correct size and not blurred.
Only 1 entry form per entrant can be submitted.
Automatic entry information must say which pageant was won and in what year - only existing title holders are eligible.
Do not fill in the Scout's section unless you have been specifically recruited by an appointed Scout.

When will the Miss SA finalists be announced

The 12 Miss SA finalists for the 2011 pageant will be announced in early September 2011.

Good luck! Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

The Miss SA team would like to thank Adrian Skelly from rghs.org.za for his assistance with these tips. Good luck with completing the Miss South Africa entry form

ESTILITE MODEL MANAGEMENT (EMM)

ESTILITE MODEL MANAGEMENT

Friday 22 June 2012

Miss SA Pageant 2012 Questions & Answers