Cape Town – South African Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture has been called upon by a local NGO, Citizens for Integrity (CFI) to apologise to Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane after she was crowned second runner-up at the Miss Universe pageant in Israel on Monday.
The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture withdrew its support for Mswane a month before the International competition on the grounds of the alleged apartheid-like atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians.
ALSO READ: South Africa pulls plug on Miss Universe contender over Palestine
Nonetheless, Mswane soldiered on without the government’s support and competed against contestants from 80 other countries at the 70th edition of the annual beauty pageant.
She came in third place, with Miss India, Harnaaz Sandhu taking the crown and Miss Paraguay, Nadia Ferreira being named the first runner-up.
CFI issued a statement, stating that it is not too late for the government to apologise to Mswane.
ALSO READ: WATCH | Miss SA Lalela Mswane crowned Miss Universe second runner-up
“Your threats that it could prove disastrous to her future and public standing seem a little hollow. Will you greet her on her triumphant return to South Africa? The world is her oyster and millions of South Africans celebrate with her. As the Israelis say, ‘mazal tov!’ As South Africans say ’siyakubongela’.”
“Mr Minister, it’s still not too late for the government to apologise. But Citizens for Integrity will still be continuing the fight to vindicate all the constitutional rights that the government violated. Round two awaits,” in part, reads the statement.
Read the full statement here:
— Mark Hyman (@MarkHymanZA) December 13, 2021
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
