The Miss South Africa top-10 contestants left their ball gowns in the closet when they competed in a meal “pack-off”, at the GrandWest Sun Exhibits Hall, on Thursday..
The event was in aid of the UN World Food day, on Saturday October 16, the same day as the Miss South Africa pageant finale.
World Food Day is observed annually to mark the founding, in 1945, of the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).
The pageant finalists were split into two teams led by Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida and joined by Miss Universe South Africa Natasha Joubert and Miss Supranational South Africa Thato Mosehle.
The goal was to see which team most quickly packed 120 000 meals, the ingredients of which were donated by Gina Athanassiou, founder and CEO of Holanathi, a manufacturer and distributor of nutritional food products.
The two teams exceeded the goal by packing more than 2000 boxes each containing 80 meals that will be donated to various organisations and schools in the Western Cape over the next few days.
So far they’ve distributed food boxes to Leonsdale and Elnor primary schools in Elsies River.
Ms Musida said food security had always been important to her.
“Prior to being crowned, my foundation distributed food to those in need in Limpopo,” she said.
There were cheers and laughter as Miss SA hopefuls Cheneil Hartzenberg, Lalela Mswane, Tiffany Francis, Kgothatso Dithebe, and Moratwe Masima won the “pack-off”.
“We were delighted that the Miss South Africa contestants could be a part of this wonderful food-delivery drive,” said Stephanie Weil, CEO of the Miss South Africa Organisation.
The finalists will compete for the Miss South Africa 2021 title this Saturday at GrandWest’s Grand Arena. The event will be screened live from 5pm on M-Net (DStv channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) and streamed online for an international audience on MissSA.live.
