Lalela Mswane ‘will travel to Israel’ for Miss Universe pageant
There have been calls for Mswane should boycott the prestigious event due to the fact that it is being hosted in Israel.
Miss South Africa Organisation CEO Stephanie Weil has confirmed that Lalela Mswane will represent South Africa at the Miss Universe pageant in Israel.
The pageant is due to be held in December.
Weil has dismissed statements by pro-Palestine groups claiming that Mswane had pulled out of the global pageant as unfounded and untrue.
“With all the misinformation and fake news around, the Miss South Africa Organisation was also thrilled to be able to make Lalela’s childhood dream – to wear the crown while representing her country globally – come true. Mswane has spoken out openly about being bullied as a child and will not be bullied as an adult against fulfilling her ambition.
“South Africa was placed very firmly in the 21st century when Zozibini Tunzi, proudly wearing her natural hair without trying to conceal it under a weave or a wig, was crowned Miss Universe. Her refusal to bow down to pressure to look a certain way was ground-breaking and opened the door to diversity and the rise of the individual as opposed to lookalikes,” Weil said in a statement.
There have been calls for Mswane to boycott the prestigious event due to the fact that it is being hosted in Israel.
“We are not a political organisation and the Miss Universe pageant is not a politically inspired event,” said Weil.
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