Sun City Resort…. The African continent has an untapped natural source of creative talent. Witness some of the continents artistic jewels at this year’s Miss South Africa Pageant on Sunday 13 December. The line-up is a fusion of Afro-Pop, RMB and Afrikaans rock and will have you dancing in the aisles.

Africa’s majestic Sun City Resort will sparkle like a dazzle of Zebra with a spectacular musical extravaganza featuring Jesse Clegg, CODA, Chris Chameleon, DJ Cleo and Loyiso Bala. Tickets are available at Computicket from R175, so make sure you’re at this year’s beauty extravaganza.  

Jesse Clegg is a South African phenomena – he has carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock genre, very different from the world music style developed by his famous father, Johnny Clegg. He successfully expresses himself in the most authentic way possible and has a dynamic stage presence.

Starting out, he experimented with a number of different instruments including; sax, clarinet, drums and piano – until he settled and focused mainly on guitar. By 17, song writing was his chief musical focus and it was in this period and the years to follow that he has honed his writing skills and released songs recorded on the first album.

His first single “Today” received extensive airtime, and shot to number 1 on the Highveld Homebrew chart in the first week it was released - a considerable feat for a new artist with a debut single and a historical first for Homebrew. It has also received massive airplay on other significant local radio stations.

A highlight of Jesse’s career was in June 2007, when he performed alongside his father at a number of festivals in France to crowds of more than 10 000 people. Jesse Clegg is an official ambassador for Mr Mandela’s 46664 campaign worldwide and he performed at Mandela Day at Radio City Music Hall in New York City in July 2009, alongside worldclass performer of the likes of Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban, Wyclef Jean and Alicia Keys.

Widely loved for their vibrant live performances, CODA ranks right up there alongside the likes of Goldfish and FreshlyGround as one of the hottest bands in South Africa at the moment.

CODA’s new album, African Renaissance, is rocking the airwaves of SA’s national radio stations. Their soccer song ‘Blow Your Vuvuzela’ is fast becoming the unofficial anthem of the 2010 World Cup.

African Renaissance encompasses CODA’s warm, energetic and classy fusion of Afro-Jazz, Urban Pop and Dance.  With song names like Reach Out, Stand Together, Take Care and To Be African, CODA is all about positive newness in Africa - it's about being reawakened to the spirit of Africa; adopting an attitude that is as upbeat and full of energy as CODA’s sound.

CODA's diversity has resulted in a new style of South African music appealing to audiences from Soweto to Paarl, from Gugulethu to Bloemfontein and from Dubai to the Seychelles.

Innovative, prolific and endlessly creative, Chris Chameleon is being hailed as a leading light on the South African music front. He has a style all his own and a reputation for mesmerising audiences with his versatile voice range and irresistible stage personality. His exceptional talent has won him rave reviews and a total of 18 impressive awards over the past 4 years, including a SAMA award and a Medal of Honour  from the South African Academy of Science and Arts.

In 2008, Chris Chameleon impressed theatre critics with his production “Klassieke Chameleon” which received standing ovations at the Volksblad Festival, Cultivaria Festival, Aardklop and KKNK.

Chris Chameleon’s latest Afrikaans solo album, “Kyk Hoe Lyk Ons Nou,” was released in March 2009 and the album is an evolution from the sound that characterised his first three Afrikaans solo albums.

He performed at the Mandela (46664) Concert in New York on 18 July 2009 alongside Dave Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Cyndi Lauper and The Soweto Gospel among other luminary stars.

DJ Cleo is one of the most significant and influential dance music producers in South Africa repeatedly demonstrating his musical mastery with luminaries such as; Pitch Black Afro, Mzekezeke, Mandoza, and Kabelo amongst others.

DJ Cleo is not only a producer, but an internationally acclaimed DJ often performing in the music capitals of the world. He is also a popular name in most parts of Africa, enjoying instant recognition wherever he performs on the continent.

His 2007 release, Es’khaleni Phase 4 remains an important benchmark on the dance music scene, and this fact was validated by the album’s double platinum sales status, far outnumbering any other urban release of that year across at least 5 popular genres.

In 2008, he was awarded Best Urban Dance Album for Es’ khaleni Phase 4 at the annual MTN South African Music Awards and the Metro FM Music Awards and in 2009 he achieved best selling mobile music download and best selling ring back tone for 'Hands Up’  at the 15th Annual MTN South African Music Awards. He has also been accredited with both Channel O and Urban Wave awards, as well as ensuring victory for the artists he has produced.

Loyiso Bala is a household name... this multi-talented, platinum selling sexy R&B singer has achieved great success in a very short space of time. In 2006, his track “All Rise” hit the top 10 on radio charts in the United States - an enormous triumph for any South African singer.

He’s been awarded many MTN South African Music Awards in multiple categories; best R&B artist, best male R&B artist, and best newcomer. He’s also won several Metro FM awards in multiple categories. He has a SAFTA award for the best score in a local drama series; ‘Tsha Tsha’ and at age 19 he was the youngest conductor ever of the National Youth Choir. And he hasn’t only achieved winner status for his musical abilities, he’s also been credited for his striking good looks-GQ, Cosmopolitan and Men’s Health have all handed out the rave reviews.

The audience will be seduced by these awesome and electrifying performers and to add to the extravaganza is the sensual beauty of the Miss South Africa contestants who will via for the crown during the 1 ½ hour live SABC broadcast.

 Get on your high-heels, sequins, diamonds and tiaras – it’s time to strut your stuff at the Miss South Africa pageant which will be broadcasted live on SABC 3 for 1 1/2 hours. As the house lights go down and the stage lights blaze - a new star is born.

Miss South Africa will take place in the Sun City Superbowl on Sunday 13 December 2009.  Ticket sales are now open at Computicket, so make sure you reserve your seat.

Ticket prices range from R195-00 for Lower Upper seats and R175-00 for Upper seats. Doors open at 18h30. Miss South Africa will be broadcast live on SABC 3 from 19h30 to 21h00.

This year’s production is extraordinary with a rainbow of entertainment and a romantic kaleidoscope of fashion. The audience will be seduced by electrifying performances from DJ Cleo, Coda, Chris Chameleon, Jessie Clegg and Loyiso and to add to the sense occasion, the beautiful Miss SA finalists will weave their magic.

The 12 Miss SA finalists will wear softly draped gowns in chiffon and silk accentuating their femininity designed by Kluk CGDT and David Tlale. It’s time to celebrate in style - this is paparazzi heaven and with every flash, South Africa’s fashionista will be captured for eternity.

Miss SA is produced by Mark West, Executive Producer of Cap Events, who has produced 8 Miss World pageants, including those in India, the Seychelles and China. He is highly respected for his theatre and TV productions.

For more information regarding tickets call the Computicket Call Centre on 082 915 8000 or book online now.

The build-up to the Miss South Africa pageant is reaching fever pitch. The drama, the beauty and the sensationalism are all integral ingredients of South Africa’s premier pageant and this year is no exception. The Miss South Africa pageant will take place in the Sun City Superbowl on Sunday 13 December. A live 1 ½ -hour broadcast of the pageant will be screened on SABC 3 at 7:30pm. The official auditor of the pageant is PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Guests and television viewers will enjoy the entertainment and magic as CAP Events, spearheaded by the irrepressible Mark West, brings the Superbowl to life with a spectacular musical extravaganza featuring Jesse Clegg, CODA, Chris Chameleon, DJ Cleo and Loyiso Bala.

In perfect harmony with the artistes, are the incredible fashion collections of couturiers RjKay Creations, KlûK CGDT and David Tlale, swimwear by Dax Martin and exquisite jewellery design by Dagmar Jungbauer.

2009 Pageant Fashions

Reginald Molamu and Paledi Segapo are the creative designers behind RjKay Creations. They successfully debuted at the 2008 Sanlam SA Fashion Week where their designs were greeted with enormous enthusiasm and appreciation. At this year’s Fashion Week, there was further applause for this duo’s unique style.

RjKay has also been invited to participate in the True Love, ‘All A Woman Needs’ event; the Vukani Fashion Awards and the TAG Foundation. Their designs have been featured in various magazines and shown on several lifestyle television programmes such as; Flash SABC3, Selimathunzi, Studio 53 and Ses’khona.

Tatum Keshwar, Miss SA 2008, wears RjKay and they were commissioned to design her national costume for the recent Miss Universe Pageant.

Their designs are inspired by South Africa’s unique cultural heritage, people and diverse landscapes. RjKay incorporates many different artistic beading effects into their designs.

Malcolm KLûK and Christiaan Gabriel Du Toit are the creative force behind KlûK CGDT. For Malcolm and Christiaan their label represents the culmination of two designers’ passion and the vision of bringing South Africans an international experience of South African fashion. It is immediately evident to anyone that careful consideration has been given to each garment; from the fabric selection, to the cut of the garment and to the finishes of each piece.  It is this careful consideration and attention to detail that ultimately distinguishes their clothes as luxury garments.

Corporate and Eventing design is a new venture with the recently completed Santam corporate wardrobe as well as VIP events for Visa International and the Mohair and Wool boards.

Malcolm and Christiaan have worked together since 2003 and have formed a dynamic and evolving partnership.  Their brand is not so much about clothes, but rather about a holistic experiential, boundary-blurring approach to style that encompasses all the senses. Their collaboration represents the pinnacle of their separate creative processes and each designer brings specialised expertise and unique visions to the partnership. Last year they launched a furniture and homeware range. The company supports and trains people from the local community to produce excellence in manufacturing required at this level. All subcontractors are PDI’s, generally women who are the only source of income for their families.

They now produce 6 collections a year, which they sell through their boutiques in Cape Town and Parkhurst, Johannesburg.

They have dressed former Miss South Africa’s; Megan Coleman and Tansey Coetzee, for their Miss Universe debuts. Also, Beyonce, Charlize Theron, Rachel Weisz, Caprice and members of the Danish, Saudi, Zulu and Swazi Royal families have all worn their unique red-carpet couture. They have participated in countless global Fashion Weeks from New York to Russia, to Cape Town and Singapore. Their collections have been featured in several international magazines; American Vogue, Elle, French Elle and Harpers Bazaar to name a few.

David Tlale is a local label that stands out from the crowd, thanks to a design elegance that challenges the clichéd and predictable. His couture embodies beauty without pretence and shuns harshness for poise. David Tlale is undoubtedly one of Johannesburg’s most interesting clothing labels.

His design philosophy: Life is an occasion; celebrate it in pure indulgence of elegance and style is prevalent in all his collections.

Dynamic in its response to local and global trends and influences, Tlale prioritises style coupled with an expert use of fabrics. Garments of impeccable quality are born from craftsmanship of exquisite materials, conceived from meticulous stylistic research.

Tlale’s commitment to the environment is mirrored in his vision for business and community empowerment. The label has been well received since its inception in 2002 and he has built a brand that has a strong sense of style and individuality.

He’s recently launched a new plus-size clothing line catering specifically for the country’s more curvaceous women, called David Tlale Green. The line aims to recognise and celebrate women who may be bigger than the average svelte model.

Among his recent activities he can count taking part in Paris Fashion Week in 2008, and dressing international supermodel Jourdan Dunn at Cape Town Fashion Week as well as dazzling fans with his glamorous style at Jo'Burg Fashion Week.

The Dax Martin swimwear brand was born in 2003 in Durban, South Africa. Although many of the designs have been featured in South African fashion magazines, very few people knew that it was a home-grown brand.

Early in 2003, Dax imported one of the first seamless elasticised hemming machines from the U.K. - an enormous undertaking for a small independent brand. Since then, Dax has been instrumental in the training of staff in the use of the machine, ensuring that there is a steady stream of fully qualified machinists in the market.

Dax has a small production team which handles everything from cutting, printing, swing tag printing, sewing, press operation, packaging and dispatch. Dax has spent the past six months adapting the use of presses from the diminishing shoe industry for use in swimwear production, resulting in some extraordinary new products. He has also designed and helped produce a seamless bra molding machine for use in both lingerie and swimwear.

Dax has not only established himself as a designer, but as an innovator of seamless garment construction. He has designed swimwear for the 2008 Miss World Beauty Pageant, the FHM lingerie collections, Cosmopolitan swimwear collection, Elite Model Search 2009 and the M-Net Face of Africa competition.

Dagmar’s jewellery designs are finely crafted and her interesting and unique style has won her national acclaim. Her timeless designs feature a collection of semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals and Freshwater Pearls combined in the most spectacular of settings. Aside from her catalogue jewellery, Dagmar also designs exclusive one-off pieces for weddings and special occasions.

Dagmar believes that jewellery is an extension of a person and needs to compliment the garments worn.

This year’s Miss South Africa pageant promises to be a tour de force of style, glamour, drama and suspense. 

The Miss SA Teen finalists have had enviable evening wear especially designed for them by Aubrey Ramatla, Marc & Michael, Francois Ved'emme and Thomas Thomson. Other delectable and youthful fashions have been kindly sponsored by Stoned Cherrie, Jewellery pieces by Anglo Gold, Cameroon, Loxion Kulca, Diesel and swimwear from JBS Designs.

The combined show promises to be a tour de force of style, glamour, drama and suspense. 

The winner of the Miss South Africa title will qualify to participate in the Miss World and Miss Universe pageants. Success alters for ever the lifestyle of the winner. She will be thrust into the lime light, pursued by advertising agencies, hired as a ‘calendar girl’ for any number of worthwhile causes and end up travelling around the world. It has without a doubt a life changing effect.

Miss World has done so much to support children all over the world through its theme ‘Beauty With A Purpose’. Each contestant donates a national treasure to the Miss World Charity Auction. Tatum’s gift is a traditional Zulu hand-crafted glass bead necklace, bracelet and earrings. This beautiful costume jewellery set was made by a self-help group in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

All proceeds will be donated to the Variety International Children’s Fund and the event hopes to raise $1 million to support surgical, nutritional and educational programmes in Haiti, Palau, Philippines, Ghana and India.

All competing Miss World nations will be officially presented on stage, each wearing a dress created by a designer from their own country.

Kluk CGDT has designed a showstopper dress for Tatum’s London stage debut. The empire design is hand dyed mesh over nude satin in a bias cut, with side bow and bugle beading. It is exquisitely finished off with individually hand-sewn ostrich feather fronds.

Tatum will return to South Africa on 17 November after her whirlwind tour of London and Abu Dhabi ready to take on the Miss World fast track events.

The innate heritage of South Africa, the breathtaking golden beaches, diverse culture and tropical climate make it the ideal country to host the Miss World Pageant. As queen of the host country, this is an excellent opportunity for Tatum to showcase her pride in her home country.

This year, the Miss World contestants will be divided into four groups; Cheetahs, Marshall Eagles, King African Penguins and Black Rhinos, as part of The Miss World Group Challenge. Each group is named after an endangered species that inhabits South Africa. During the challenge the groups will learn about their threatened species and visit the incredible conservation projects and facilities across South Africa.

Cheetahs - The Miss World Cheetahs will meet a group of hand-raised cheetahs in the care of the Cheetah Sanctuary’s amazing Cheetah Outreach Programme at the Spier Resort in Cape Town. The main aim of the programme is to raise funds to ensure the survival of the cheetah and where possible breed cheetah in captivity and promote co-operation between facilities in South Africa.

Marshall Eagles - The Marshall Eagle group will be given a unique opportunity to encounter these birds at a special bird of prey rehabilitation centre for endangered species. The long-term vision of the centre, which is based near Cape Town, is helping to preserve the eco-environment by protecting birds of prey. This is achieved through the re-release of rehabilitated birds back into the wild, and creating community awareness of birds of prey.

King African Penguins - The King African Penguin group will visit the picturesque Boulders Beach near Cape Town, a World Heritage Site for birds. Here they will support the conservation project for the Boulder’s own colony of African Penguins, one of only two places in the world that the colonies still exist.

Black Rhinos - The Black Rhino group will visit the famous Legends Resort World Heritage site in Johannesburg. The huge reserve - which holds the endangered Black Rhino as well as thousands of other species - boasts five full eco-systems. The upper escarpment offers majestic craggy rock formations and wide open grass plains while the lower plateau, which is separated from the upper region by 600m high cliffs, is nearly three degrees warmer and consists of sandy wetlands where the rare black rhinos have settled.

These will also be the official groups for the Miss World Sports Woman fast-track event which has become one of the most popular events on the Miss World calendar. The contestants take part in a series of challenges that test their agility and sporting endeavour. The World Sports Woman is a one of five fast-track events, with the winner reaching the Miss World semi-final.

The other fast track events include; the Miss World Beauty With A Purpose Award, Miss World Beach Beauty in Durban; Miss World Fashion in Johannesburg and Miss World Talent in Cape Town.

For the finale at Gallagher Estate, Kluk CGDT has designed an ethereal and other worldly gown especially for Tatum. “We wanted to elevate her to the status of a queen in a breathtaking gown,” says Malcolm Kluk. The soft, romantic dress is a vision in white made with over a hundred metres of tulle and crystals.

“It will look as if she is walking on a cloud. We also took into account her wonderful height and deportment, and the dress will make her stand out from the crowd making her the only choice for Miss World.”

South Africa is one of more than 80 countries worldwide that are involved in raising awareness to accelerate handwashing behaviour change. Global Handwashing Day 2009 encourages learners to take the important message of handwashing home and into their communities.

According to a WHO infectious diseases report, diarrhoeal diseases claim nearly two million lives a year among children under the age of five. Diarrhoea is the second biggest killer after pneumonia. However, this figure can be reduced by nearly half just by handwashing with soap. Hands are the principal carriers of potentially life-threatening germs, causing diarrhoea, pneumonia, cholera and dysentery. But the simple hygiene habit of washing hands with soap helps to stop the spread of germs.

Ethne Whitley, spokesperson for Lifebuoy says the brand has made championing health and hygiene through the promotion of handwashing with soap an integral part of its strategy. “International research has proved that proper handwashing with soap reduces the risk of contamination.”

Whitley adds: “As one of the founding partners of the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing, Unilever, through its Lifebuoy brand, will once again employ its expertise in changing consumer behaviour to ensure that Global Handwashing Day drives behaviour change to make handwashing with soap a life-saving habit.

“On 15 October Lifebuoy will make sure that hundreds of children at Boipakitso Primary School learn the importance of a simple 20-second hygiene practice – handwashing with soap before eating and after going to the toilet. It takes just 20 seconds. And we’ll encourage the children to become ambassadors for change by taking the message home with them. Together our small actions can create a happier, healthier future for children.”

Info Box: How to wash hands properly

An effective hand wash should take 20 seconds, which is the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice. Technique is also very important. ‘Splash and dash’ flat surface washing merely feeds the germs and helps them to multiply.
To wash properly: wet your hands with water, add soap and cover the hands completely with the soapy water. Rub hands palm to palm, rub palms over the outside of the hands, and make sure to get in between the fingers.

Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Soap and running water are a critical part of the germ removal process.

Drying hands completely using a clean, dry towel (preferably a disposable paper towel) is also important as up to 40 per cent of germ removal can occur in the drying process.  Wet towels can harbour billions of pathogens.

Ends

Issued by Patti Quinton, tel: 011-465-5225 or 083 263 6281

Pquinton@calibro.co.za

On behalf of Lifebuoy

15 October 2009

A potion of these proceeds together with 3 national beauties; Tatum Keshwar, Miss SA 2008, Tansey Coetzee, Miss SA 2007 and Megan Coleman, Miss SA 2006 enabled Reach For A Dream to fulfil the dream of a very special little girl, Livia, who is 4 years old and has always dreamed of having her own puppy. Reach For A Dream threw a Strawberry Shortcake Party for Livia and her friends and just when she thought the day couldn’t get any better Livia was presented with her new best friend, Sophie!

“Thank you so much again for making my little girl so happy, giving her something else to fight for and making her feel so needed and loved!” said Annamarie Wagner, Livia’s mother. 

The Reach For A Dream Foundation is a Non Profit Organisation that fulfils the dreams of children faced with life threatening illnesses. Reach For A Dream believes in the power of dreams and encourages children to use their dreams to fight their life-threatening illnesses. Please contact Bronwyn on 011 4420893 if you wish to sponsor a dream.

Follow Miss SA on her online diary to find out more about the inspiring work she does.

A cast of dancers, models and young ballet students performed as chess pieces under the direction of Durban choreographer David Gouldie and was filmed by a television crew for the magazine show Top Billing.

A ten metre square chessboard was specially built for the event in front of the grandstand facing the winning post at Greyville Racecourse, where the black and white clad performers, dressed in stylized costumes, carried out the moves in two chess matches.

The first match featured the two jockeys, Bernard Fayd’Herbe and Kevin Shea, who hit the headlines when they dead-heated in last year’s Vodacom Durban July. The subsequent match featured the reigning Miss South Africa, Tatum Keshwar and top Billing presenter Dhiveja Sundrum.

The players were guided by experts from the Durban Chess Club, who relayed the moves of two legendary chess games to them by two-way radios.

In keeping with the stylish fashion profile of the Vodacom Durban July the task of designing the two sets of chess pieces was given to iconic Durban designer Terrence Bray and his class of fashion design students at the Durban University of Technology.

The students provided a cutting-edge take on traditional chess pieces, after Bray and Durban University of Technology fashion department head George Vorster urged the students to delve into the history of the chess pieces to find their inspiration for the costumes.

With the two sets of players blissfully unaware of the fact, the chess experts Keith Rust and Desmond Rooplal played out two famous chess matches, both of which ended in suitably dramatic finishes.

There were gasps as the match between Keshwar and Sundrum concluded with Keshwar losing her queen, only to have her returned to the board after a pawn swept across the board, capturing a castle, and reinstating the queen, replicating a match won by Henry Bird in London in 1886 in a bold “smothered mate” move.

Each captured piece was elaborately removed from the board by a cadaverous looking Gouldie, to the sound of tolling bells.

“It was fabulous!” enthused Keshwar after the match was completed. “It was really unusual and great fun. The costumes that were made for each of the pieces were brilliant, and made for a dramatic spectacle.”

The Durban Chess Club enthusiast Keith Rust confirmed that this was the first human chess game played in Durban, and only the third recorded human chess match in South Africa.

“I know that Reginald Borders, the chess columnist for the "Natal Mercury" from 1903 to 1930, played at least one such game in 1911 – but this game was played at his father's residence in London,” said Rust.

“Leonard Reitstein's book "A History of Chess in South Africa" records only three previous human chess displays in South Africa. Two of these were held in Cape Town in 1887 and 1890, and there was an exhibition at the Wanderers in 1928,” he added.

The matches will be featured on Top Billing on Thursday 2 July at 7:30pm on SABC3.

Any questions about the Vodacom Durban July Fashion programme can be directed to the fashion programme director Tiffany Prior on (031) 309 6114 or by email on tiffany@dbn.icemodels.co.za. Further information or bookings for the Durban fashion shows can be directed to Lisa Williams on 031 314 1640 or email lisaw@goldcircle.co.za

Vodacom Durban July 2009 Theme: Games People Play

Play the game in your mind,
Don’t let your thoughts be confined,
Once your strategy’s been defined,
Your plan of action will unfold.
It’s on the table you will make your play,
Cut your cloth and lead astray,
Show the masterpiece on the day,
The thrill of winning to behold.
The stark elegance of black and white,
On the chess board that invite,
Backgammon, Solitaire delight,
Result beyond any doubt.
The rich colours of the King and Queen,
It’s on the cards that you must seen,
Show your hand and cause a scene,
Winning’s what it’s all about.
Maybe daring – don’t follow suit,
Drip in diamonds, bling so cute,
Colours of the heart astute,
Or dazzle in club glitz.
Then it’s the joker in the pack,
A different angle of attack,
Do what you like – don’t hold back,
The game’s a battle of wits.
Mlabalaba, dominoes,
Rummy, bridge whatever goes,
You’ll be playing with friends and foes,
But play it your way.

Any game that you embrace,
Create, produce, want first place,
Remember to play your ace,
On Vodacom Durban July Day.

Follow Miss SA’s exciting antics, by reading her online diary.

On the 7 August she’ll visit a Bahamian arts & crafts centre and attend the welcome dinner. Several South African designers including; Gerrit Pienaar, Hendrik Vermeulen, Haroun, Malcolm Kluk and Katherine Kidger have put together a couture collection of formal garments. Tatum is spoiled for choice when deciding what to wear at the different Miss Universe events.  

There’ll be plenty of opportunities for the camera’s to catch a glimpse of Tatum in her swimwear as she enjoys island day trips to Exuma & Bimini and Eleuthra & Abaco. The televised swimsuit show will take place on 9 August at the Grand Bahama Yacht Club in Port Lucaya.

The National Costume show is planned for 10 August at the Rain Forest Theatre at the Wyndham Hotel. Tatum is wearing a traditional Zulu costume designed by RjKay Creations. “Tatum will look like a heavenly princess in my modern interpretation of traditional Zulu garments,” says Paledi Segapo from RjKay Creations.

The first authentic Zulu item Tatum will be wearing is the “Isicholo” - a wide red hat made of straw and which symbolises a woman’s crowning glory. This flaring red beaded headdress is reminiscent of the hairstyle of her ancestors. Beads are the pride of the Zulu nation encompassing a symbolic language that includes messages of love and encouragement and RjKay has beautifully hand crafted “Amacici” earrings in pink, white, sea blue and other colours. The second item is the “Isikoti” - a traditional cape made of eleven beaded panels stitched together with animal print fabric and signifying royalty, authority and strength. The third item Tatum will be wearing is an “Isidwaba” - a pleated skirt made of cowhide that is softened by hand. Other accessories include beaded neck and arm bracelets and an “Isagila” - a short stick signifying joy. 

Contestants from more than 80 countries around the world will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview as they vie for the coveted title of Miss Universe 2008.

“I am very excited to participate in Miss Universe. It is a chance in a lifetime. If I win, many doors will open for me,” says Tansey Coetzee. “Not only do I get the wonderful opportunity to visit Vietnam, and to meet the other contestants from around the world, but the winner of Miss Universe 2008 also gets to star in the reality show “Pageant Place” which currently stars the current Miss Universe, Riyo Mori. Maybe I’ll get to live in the Trump Tower in New York and feature in the MTV show. All I can say is, wow!”

What began in 1952 as a local bathing beauty competition in Long Beach, California has since grown to be a Donald Trump organisation showcase that puts the spotlight directly on the world's most beautiful women.

Miss Universe major events to be held at the Crown Convention Centre are the final presentation show on 8 July, the dress rehearsal on 13 July and the live telecast on 13 July. Following the evening gown competition, judges pick the Top 10 who go on to show off their best assets in the traditional and very popular swimsuit competition, from which the Top 5 are chosen... culminating in the crowning of Miss Universe 2008.

Miss Universe is one of the world's most watched events. The 57th Annual Miss Universe Competition will air on NBC on Monday, 14 July, 2008.

Japanese native, Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007 will crown her successor at the conclusion of the telecast. During her reign, she travelled the world as an advocate for HIV/AIDS education, research, and legislation. The newly crowned Miss Universe will go on to do the same.

For more info on what Miss SA gets up to during her reign, please follow her online diary.
Please feel free to contact the Miss SA team for any media related queries.

This year TOTAL South Africa, in partnership with the Natal Motorcycle and Car Club (NMCC) have planned a spectator friendly rally being the first round of the 2009 South African Rally Championships. Included in the festivities will be celebrity go-kart race in Pinetown on Friday 13 March, at 17:00 on the M19 highway. Bivis street, St John Avenue and Sherpstone Road will be closed off for this race. Participating celebrities include some of the Egoli cast, singer-presenter Ed Jordan and the newly crowned Miss SA Tatum Keshwar.

The TOTAL Tour Natal Rally will have a ceremonial start at 10:00 on Friday from the Sun Coast Casino in Durban before moving to the start of stage one at Scottburgh.  Some 50 cars will be battling it out over the 2 days in 4 classes. The majority of the race’s special stages (over 180km) are in the Scottburgh area with a single service park in operation at the Scottburgh Country Club. 

Day one will end in Pinetown with a short tar stage in the town, which each competitor has to complete twice. To allow for this stage to take place, the corner of Bevis street, St. Johns avenue and Sherpstone roads will be closed off from 16h00.  There will be a kids zone where parents can leave their children under the supervision of professional child minders. The kids zone will have jumping castles, water slides and a mini quad bike race and lots more activities. 

Day two will restart at 7:30 from the Sun Coast Casino before returning to Scottburgh for the balance of the racing stages.  The first car is due at the finish at Sun Coast Casino at about 16:20 on Saturday.

Rally promotions will be happening from Sunday 8 March at The Paviliion, Gateway as well as the following TOTAL service stations:  River Road, Isipingo Hills, Gateway, Umhlanga, Broad Street and Riverhorse Valley from Monday 9 March until Thursday 12 March from 6:30 to 8:30 and again from 16:00 to 18:00.

You can meet the drivers of Team TOTAL face-to-face and get an autograph at Riverhorse Valley West Service Station, Nandi Drive on Thursday 12 March between 16:00 and 19:00.

Visit the website on www.totalmotorsport.co.za for the route guide.

Follow Miss SA for the duration of her reign by reading her online diary.

Miss South Africa will win prizes beyond her wildest dreams. Cash, car, cell phone and accessories, clothes, jewels, watches and other exciting accessories are the order of the day. This is South Africa’s finest pageant and the bounty is justly deserved.

Miss South Africa 2008 will win a new BMW 320i Auto sponsored by Barloworld Motors. The BMW 320i is an ideal vehicle for an inspirational and stylish woman, its elegant, sleek and modern design is an apt reflection of Miss SA, herself.

Barloworld Motors offers integrated vehicle usage solutions ranging from new and used vehicles, to the service and repair of vehicles and fleet business. Their major focus is to bring fewer, bigger and better dealerships throughout Southern Africa.

“We are incredibly proud to be associated both with Sun International as well as the Miss SA pageant and look forward to a close working relationship with the incumbent Miss South Africa whilst she is driving her BMW 320i,” says

Chris Prinsloo, Divisional Director Barloworld Fleet Marketing.

Sun International’s focus and commitment to the empowerment of women is not new and their support of this prestigious beauty pageant is a testament to their commitment. With the annual appointment of a new Miss SA titleholder, Sun International unleashes new talent and helps to foster a budding star.

The winner of the Miss South Africa Pageant will enjoy a holiday at the Royal Livingstone Hotel and win a cash prize from Sun International. She will also qualify to participate in the Miss World and Miss Universe pageants courtesy of Sun International. She is flown to the international events and her accommodation, attire, portfolio and visas are all attended to. She is also chaperoned by a professional pageant expert.

“The Miss South Africa pageant provides the winner with a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent South Africa as an ambassador. Sun International is proud to sponsor an event highlighting the beauty, talent and intelligence of our nations powerful women”, says Kurt Peter, Divisional Director Sun International Resorts.

Miss SA deserves an enviable wardrobe during her year of reign and she will receive; shoes and handbags from  Europa Art Shoes and Foschini clothing and accessories. Exclusive Dry Cleaning will attend to all her dry-cleaning requirements.

Foschini will provide local and international fashion garments to Miss South Africa -- Foschini as a brand has evolved and now offers the modern woman a designer wardrobe of enviable magnitude. Brands include; Oasis, The Foschini Collection, World Wide Wear, News, Bootylicious, Global Art, Sissy Boy, Guess, Nine West, Zoom and Instinct.

New international brands include Lipsy and Off The Catwalk. Lipsy is a young British fashion brand founded in the heart of London. It’s all about clothes that make you look and feel amazing. The Lipsy girl wants to be sexy and is conscious of how she looks. This world-renowned brand worn and loved by international stars is now available at Foschini.

Off The Catwalk is an edgy boutique style range. Limited fashion items have been spotted on the international fashion stage and now can be bought at Foschini. This highly experimental range never repeats itself and will attract the fashion-forward trendy shopper who takes her cue from the world’s top fashion houses.

Tanzanite has become one of the world's most cherished and sought-after gemstones. The Official Miss SA Crown, designed by the Tanzanite Foundation is the perfect adornment for South Africa’s finest beauty. The crown remains the property of the Tanzanite Foundation.

Miss South Africa will receive training covering personal imaging and etiquette from Professional Impressions and Peter Morey Photography will provide the winner with a full photographic portfolio.

Feeling and looking beautiful during her reign is absolutely necessary and the following beauty professionals will ensure that she continually looks good; Camelot Spa will provide Miss South Africa with all her beauty, body and spa treatments for the duration of her reign. Camelot Spa’s are an influential and advantageous feature at Sun International’s Table Bay Hotel and the Royal Swazi Spa.  L’Oreal Professional & Mizani will provide expert hair styling and professional products for the year of her reign and Gary Rom Hairdressing services will style her hair.

Mango Airlines will sponsor all her domestic flights within South Africa and she will be limousine driven in style by Limousine & Chauffeur Transportation. Avis Car Hire will provide the reigning Miss SA with complimentary car hire.

Varsity College will give Miss South Africa an educational bursary and she will also receive a bursary for her to give to the charity of her choice. Her communication needs will be met by Chatz Cellular and Vodacom 4 U – she will be given airtime.

African Fashion International will award modelling contracts to Miss SA for the Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban Fashion Weeks.

Find out all about this year’s Miss SA sponsors and how to get involved.

“This year five new fashion designers agreed to design gowns for the Miss SA Finalists; Charlene Sauerman, Colleen Eitzen, Thula Sindi, Marion & Lindie and Leigh Schubert. It is exciting to feature new talent on the Miss SA catwalk”, says Adam Levin, Fashion Director for the Miss SA pageant. “The fashion concept this year is Catwalk meets Pageant -- bringing SA fashion design strongly into the pageant format.”

The cocktail ‘Romantic Couture’ first designer sequence has been interpreted by; Gerrit Pienaar, Charlene Sauerman, Leigh Schubert and Thula Sindi.

“The fabrics are silky and fluid giving the collection movement and grace, the palette is soft roses, silvery greys, creams and pale blues and greens, to enhance and highlight the beauty of each contestant,” says Adam.

With more than 16 years experience in the couture industry, Charlene Sauerman has become one of South Africa’s most popular designers. Charlene has a passion and distinguishing flair for creating gowns to suit the individual.

Charlene has designed three cocktail dresses in romantic shades of rose, pale silver and cream, and silver with hues of lilac for Miss SA contestants; Anja van Zyl, Bridgette Maasch and Michelle Gildenhuys respectively. The dresses are romantic, dreamy, sinuous, and soft and encrusted with crystals. Charlene’s glamorous style is aptly depicted in her choice of lustrous fabrics; silk chiffon, silk satin and Chantilly lace. The dresses are beautifully accentuated by chandelier Swarovski earrings and multiple crystal bracelets created by Cape Town jewellery designer, Dagmar Jungbauer.

Leigh Schubert, born and raised in Durban, studied fashion at Parktown College in Houghton, Johannesburg. She returned to Durban after graduating and began

her career in commercial design and manufacture. She then went onto fashion buying for a major retail chain. During this time she participated in many prestigious design competitions, winning numerous awards.

It was after she won the Invited Designer category at the Durban Designer Collections, that she launched her own clothing label in 2002. Her special signature ladies-wear includes garments that are sexy yet elegant, timeless yet fresh and simplistic yet interesting.

Leigh has designed cocktail dresses for three Miss SA hopefuls; Tatum Keshwar, Sarah-Kate Seaward and Nthabiseng Carol Marie. She has created 3 dresses that reflect her fashion signature yet encapsulate the personality and form of the individual.

“The dresses are simple, and combine modern with classic styling. They mix soft floating fabrics with strong dark lines. So although the dresses, all in tones of dusty pink, have one definite feel - they make a very individual statement on each finalist,” says Leigh.

“Tatum’s dress is a 20's inspired halter neck with a very flippy skirt. It highlights her long neck, and the skirt bounces above her endlessly long legs. Nthabiseng's dress is a bustier, with a dropped asymmetrical waist. It reveals her beautiful dark shoulders, and defines her hourglass shape. Sarah-Kate’s dress is a multi length wrap dress accentuating her feminine bust, and lengthens her athletic body. It is the most contemporary of the three dresses, which certainly suits her vivacious personality.”

Gerrit Pienaar’s designs have won numerous local as well as international awards. He is known for his understated elegance and classical edge.  Gerrit has designed 3 different gowns for Miss SA contestants; Dorah Mtetwa, Sian Ryan and Jodi Balfour.

“For Dorah Mtetwa I have designed a gorgeous fine pleated multi-layered chiffon dress. The bodice is draped and encrusted with textured Swarovski crystals. This rose pink, silver and grey dress is romantic yet very sexy,” says Gerrit. “Sian Ryan’s cocktail dress has a multi-layered tulle net skirt with pleated tulle frills on the bodice. It is finished off with a beaded rose rosette and handmade roses with fine ostrich feather detail. Jodi Balfour’s cocktail outfit has a beaded top with Swarovski crystals and a high-waisted tulle bubble skirt, finished off with big tulle roses and ostrich feather detail.”

Thula Sindi studied design at the London International School of Fashion. His debut was as head designer at Dutch Textile Company Vlisco. In February 2006 Thula started developing his own range, which first hit the catwalk at SA Fashion Week in 2006 (a year in which he earned a semi-finalist spot at the Nederburg Rare Fashion Finds Contest). He was also nominated as a finalist in the Marie Claire emerging designer contest in 2007 and 2008.

Thula has designed cocktail dresses for Miss SA finalists; Mpho Sithole, Cara Burger and Buyisiwe Shongwe.

“I’ve created an ensemble of dreamy chiffon, cocktail length dresses in pastel blue, light yellow and white - mixed in a water-colour effect resembling clouds. The fabrics are light and float around their bodies and appear to take flight as the ladies walk. The fabrics ideal trail and skim their bodies in a way that is feminine, modern and sensual,” says Thula

The “Super Sexy” brief for the final sequence has been interpreted by; Marion & Lindie, Kluk CGDT, Marc & Michael and Colleen Eitzen. While the cuts are pure red carpet glamour, the strong colour makes this sequence hot and contemporary.

“I didn’t want over embellished gowns - I wanted gowns that would hug the contour of the finalists’ bodies, creating sleek, eye-catching designs in strong colours, says Adam.

Innovative South African fashion designer Colleen Eitzen has built an enviable reputation for designing collection after collection of wearable elegance. Over the years she has experimented with various different techniques of design and has often changed her direction as a result of this.

Colleen is a graduate of the Durban Institute of Technology, where she lectures on creative design. She loves clothing with strong architectural lines, texture, layers and fabric with movement. Colleen and her husband, Neil Roake, own the “DDE” in Durban, as well as “The Space” in Gateway, and are in partnership with The Space store at The Zone, in Rosebank.

Colleen has designed gowns for finalists; Tatum Keshwar, Sarah-Kate Seaward and Nthabiseng Carol Marie.

“It was a pleasure to design for these women as I know them well which makes it easier to come up with a design that will suit their personalities. All of them have beautiful bone structure and I wanted to accentuate their shoulders, long necks and sensuous form,” says Colleen.
“I chose blue as it works well on most skin tones, and it was fun to play with different tones and add silver accents. I really enjoyed the process and feel privileged to have dressed these three beautiful women”

For Sarah-Kate, Colleen designed a turquoise layered skirt with a silver Obi belt and a 50’s style bodice in navy blue. The dress is sleek and beautifully accentuates her body.
“Carol (Nthabiseng) is striking and I wanted to keep the gown simple so as not to detract from her bone structure, square shoulders and graceful movements. I designed a rich turquoise corset dress, with a mesh overlay on the bodice. There are slight bling accents on the hemline, bringing in a bit of sparkle.”

“Tatum has a delicate, perfectly proportioned body and a boob-tube shaped dress, with different blue layers perfectly complements her form. The dress is sleek and form fitting and has a design mesh feature over one shoulder,” says Colleen.

Malcolm KlûK and Christiaan Gabriel Du Toit are the creative force behind KlûK CGDT. Their label represents the culmination of two designers’ passion and the vision of bringing South Africans an international experience of South African fashion. Their dynamic attention to detail of each design can be seen in the fabric selection, the cut of the garment and the exquisite finishes.

“We designed gowns for Western Cape Miss SA finalists; Michelle Gildenhuys, Anja Van Zyl and Bridgette Maasch,” says Kluk. “Our design theme is reminiscent of Hollywood 1930’s glamour and each luxurious emerald green silk gown has a knot and belt detail that differentiates them from each other. All are beaded with self coloured bugle beads.”

Marc & Michael are known as one of SA's most powerful design duos, with a broad local and international client base. Marc & Michael use high drama and unashamed opulence to create their signature designs.

Marc and Michael South Africa launched their Dubai partner during the Dubai International Show and have been actively trading in Dubai for the last two years.

They are dressing Miss SA Finalists; Dorah Mtetwa, Sian Ryan and Jodi Balfour.

“I have used silk duchess satin in shades of purple and ultraviolet combined with black silk veiling. Bold dramatic beading details include; jewel stones in shades of purple, crystal and jet, says Marc Glass.

Since its conception in 1994, the name Marion & Lindie has become synonymous with modern yet classic ‘ready to wear’ clothing of the highest quality.

The label’s foundations were laid in the late 90’s, when Lindie Grenfell and former partner, Marion Reed saw the Marion & Lindie concept move from humble studio beginnings to its first-ever store in Johannesburg’s Rosebank shopping district. Regardless of countless accolades, new store openings and media attention, Lindie remains a savvy business woman and talented fashion designer.

Lindie has designed gowns for Mpho Sithole, Cara Burger and Buyisiwe Shongwe.
“I have designed dresses using colour blocks of black, coral, taupe and teal. The bodices are in coral and the backs are in black. There are tiny slithers of teal running through the jersey fabric. The jersey fabric is accentuated with silk chiffon frills and geometric beading to add a bit of luxury. I have strayed from the traditional pageant style gown, incorporating a more contemporary feel that is strongly modern yet sleek and sensual,” says Lindie Grenfell

JJ Schoeman specialises in womenswear for clients who include beauty queens, celebrities and sophisticated businesswomen. He has designed for Miss South Africa since 2001. Next year will see the opening of his Johannesburg studio in Parkhurst following the same lifestyle concept as his Cape Town store, showcasing couture, ready-to-wear and home-ware.

This year JJ is not dressing any of the finalists, but has put considerable creative talent into his designer gown for pageant presenter, Carol Manana – a vision in an acid yellow ribbon-work dress.  He has also made Tansey Coetzee’s ‘Last Walk’ dress – a glitzy two tone Inca gold and Red Indian jade designer gown.

Carol Manana’s co-presenter, Mutadi Nesheshe, is dressed by menswear designer Shakur Olla. Shakur has put together a superb collection of tailor-made formal menswear for Mutadi to choose from.

“The two suits are hand-made super 120’s extra fine Italian wool in black, and one has a cerise pink pinstripe. The two button suit jackets have a low lapel and the trousers are form fitting and cut into the waist. There’s a selection of two fold cotton with high cutaway collar shirts in Egyptian cotton. The shirts vary from green with red flowers, to a white base with red leaves to bright sienna orange. The look is elegant and refined with a touch of light heartedness,” says Shakur. 

Shakur Olla is an African artist and designer whose luxury lifestyle brand has become synonymous with exclusivity, creativity, luxury, sophistication and style.

His creative signature has a chic, contemporary, innovative, elegant simplicity that is the essence of its timeless classic appeal. The Olla menswear brand is proof of a local brand competing successfully in the international marketplace.
Olla exports to global niche markets, including Japan, the Middle East and Europe. In 2000 he was the recipient of the Fairlady Best Brand Award. Shakur has dressed the likes of Deepka Chopra, Armand Assante, and rapper and actor, LL Cool J.

For more info on what Miss SA gets up to during her reign, please follow her online diary.

Please feel free to contact the Miss SA team for any media related queries.

Sun City This year’s entertainment line-up supersedes previous Miss South Africa Pageants. Make sure you’re at the Miss SA pageant on Monday 15 December 2008 at Sun City Resort. With an interesting fusion of soul, RMB, Afrikaans, House and Afro-pop – we’ve got something for everyone.

Africa’s majestic Sun City Resort is proud to present a spectacular musical extravaganza at this year’s pageant featuring; Lira, KB, Jaziel Brothers, Nadine, Dana Winner, Steve Hofmeyer and DJ Fresh.

Since the release of her solo album in November 2006, Lira has enjoyed a lightning strike career that has placed her among the country’s elite performers in the space of only a year.

Indeed, so effortlessly has the 29-year-old been able to enthral music fans around the country that her album, Feel Good, achieved gold status and the title song remains one of the most-played songs in South African and Italy radio history. Lira walked away with the highly coveted Metro Fm Music Award in November 2007 in the Best Jazz Album category for Feel Good. With an album of this strength as her primary calling card, Lira’s stunning onstage performance will have you enthralled.

Talented R&B singer and actress, KB Motsilanyane is back on the music scene with a super album “My Rhythm” featuring hits like Mowa, Moni Fere, D Benga and many more. KB is well known for her role as KayBee on the e.tv soap opera Backstage. She currently plays the role of Lucilla Vilakazi in Rhythm City.

After making a name for herself with her album, Beautiful Vibrations which saw her winning the prestigious SAMA for Best R&B, and two Metro FM awards for Best R&B and Best Newcomer, the sassy musician went on to garner more acclaim with Rock Lefatshe, which also won her another two Metro FM awards for Best R&B and Best Female vocalist 2003. The album also earned the young diva nominations for Best R&B and Best video at the SAMA 2004 and a Kora Award nomination for Best Female in Southern Africa.

The dazzling singing duo, the Jaziel Brothers are the talent behind Lesego’s SAMA award winning album My Music. They produced and wrote tracks for the album and their vocals featured prominently on some of his tracks, including his hit song “Africa Viva Tau”. Their influence can also be heard on his gospel tune “Ke Tshepile Wena”, Jub Jub’s “Ndikhokhele”; and Kelly Khumalo’s hit single “Ilobolo”

Their debut album, “The Beginning” is the brothers’ official entry and they do it with a lot of soul and heartfelt lyrical content. The brothers define their music as Urban Pop. Their style is an eclectic mix of Afro, Soul, Pop, Gospel and Kwaito.

Get set for the explosive talent of one of South Africa’s foremost superstars, Nádine. With eight solo albums, a SAMA nomination and various gold and platinum awards, Nádine is a serious and established artist. Her latest album As jy Wonder has just been released and Nádine will take the audience through many of the tracks from this popular pop rock album.
Over the past 13 years Nadine has captured the hearts of South African music fans – and now the singer with the voice of an angel is spreading her wings with the release of her first international album, titled This Time I Know. The album packs the power of the best adult contemporary releases on the international market and provides a breathtaking showcase of Nadine’s musical gift.
Already the first radio single, ‘This Time I Know It’s For Real’ has been playlisted on 94.7, KFM and Jacaranda FM.

Steve Hofmeyr’s ballads, love songs and feet stomping Afrikaans medleys will rock the Sun City Superbowl.  It takes a very gifted person to achieve lasting success as a singer, songwriter and actor in any country. Steve is one of those rare talents. After more than a decade in the spotlight and album sales of over one million units, there's nothing that can stop him. He is undoubtedly one of the hardest working and creative artists in South Africa. When he's not singing, he's acting and when the actor's taking a break then the writer takes over, composing songs and writing poetry.
Steve’s show is a celebration of local culture particularly Afrikaans and offers fans a feast of music ranging from rock, to pop, to country. Steve is a lyrical genius, with the soul of a poet. His love songs are emotive and his performance is stellar.

He is also recognised internationally as a musician and has recorded with some of the greatest artists in the world including Dana Winner. Dana and Steve have performed together on stage to sold-out shows in both Belgium and at Sun City.

Belgian singing sensation, Dana Winner will once again grace the Superbowl stage at the Miss SA pageant.  Dana first made an appearance in South Africa as a guest singer on Steve’s show “Steve Hofmeyr and Friends” in 1988. She was heartened by the response from an adoring South African public and in October of that year, EMI released “In Love with you”, which included the popular Afrikaans song “Droom Van My Geluk”.
Dana is the most popular Belgian female singer of the last decade, with record sales of more than 1.5 million, and several gold and platinum hits, her crystal clear voice is an absolute pleasure to listen to.

The awesomely talented DJ Fresh will pull you into his world of house. He has over 18 house albums under his belt and the first 4 of these albums, the Fresh House Flava Range, unquestionably changed the landscape of House Music in Southern Africa, forever. His high-octane energy and incredible beat will get you jamming.

The audience will be seduced by these awesome and electrifying performers and to add to the extravaganza is the sensual beauty of the Miss South Africa contestants who will vie for the beautiful Tanzanite crown during the two hour live SABC 2 television production. This year’s Miss South Africa promises to be the beauty spectacular of the decade.

Find out more about this year’s Miss SA pageant.

Tansey Coetzee (23) is a smart, funny and remarkably down-to-earth global beauty. Before becoming Miss SA, Tansey attended Rand Afrikaans University and had completed 2 years of a BA in Corporate Communication. She is a professional dancer and actively practices; ballet, modern, tap, jazz and hip hop. During the Miss World Talent Event Tansey will ably demonstrate her excellence in dance.

Tansey embodies the ideals of Miss World and is set to capture the hearts of the judges with her own special brand of ‘ubuntu’. 

Sun International has been involved with both the Miss South Africa Pageant and the Miss World Pageant for many years, witnessing the crowning of numerous beauty queens.

“Miss South Africa has always fared well at international pageants and we know that Tansey will proudly represent South Africa at this year’s Miss World Pageant”, says Kurt Peter, Divisional Director, Sun International Resorts.

Every aspect of the contest supports the ideals promoted by Miss World, reflecting the attributes of today's woman; a woman who has her own goals and views of her role within society. These ideals are emphasised by the associated charitable causes, which largely benefit from the money raised by the Miss World Pageant.

The 180 contestants will each bring a book illustrative of her country. These books from around the world will make up the ‘Miss World library’, which will be donated to a school in Johannesburg. Tansey’s gift is Nelson Mandela’s, “Eye Over Africa” and a signed autobiography of “A Long Walk To Freedom”.

A major feature of the pageant are the five major television events staged during the event period. Each special programme gives each contestant an opportunity to fast track into the Miss World Final. The fast track events for 2008 are: Miss World Beauty With a Purpose Award (short report on her charitable work done in South Africa especially at Tapologo AIDS Hospice); Miss World Sports Woman; Miss World Beach Beauty; Miss World Talent; Miss World Fashion – Top Model.

The 58^th Miss World pageant is a celebration of beauty, culture, peace and understanding, set against a background of achievement and excellence. It is an example to young women all over the world of what they can accomplish.

Follow Miss SA online by reading her diary.
Please feel free to contact the Miss SA team for any media related queries.

Renowned fashion designers Malcolm KLûk and Christian Gabriel du Toit have created Tansey’s Miss Universe Evening Gown. Malcolm and Christiaan are the creative force behind KLûk CGDT. For Malcolm and Christiaan their label represents the culmination of two designers’ passion and the vision of bringing South Africans an international experience of South African fashion. It is immediately evident to anyone that careful consideration has been given to each garment; from the fabric selection, to the cut of the garment and to the finishes of each piece. It is this careful consideration and attention to detail that distinguishes their clothes as luxury garments.

"We chose the colour white for Tansey’s Miss Universe Evening Gown as it perfectly compliments her exotic caramel skin tone. The simple silhouette of the gown elegantly shows off her toned body and bands of diamante add the necessary glamour and frame the shape of the gown. The design of the dress is classic with a touch of sexiness, which really sums up Tansey’s personality. The fabric is light and moveable; this will enable her to glide across the stage with the volume in the hemline, billowing with drama,” says Malcolm Kluk.

Gerrit Pienaar has designed Miss South Africa’s Traditional Dress and the design is a sparkling showstopper. Currently Gerrit is preparing for the Jazz African Heritage Show in New York and the SA Week in Washington, DC. He also acts as a mentor for emerging and established designers, guiding them in reaching their full potential.

Gerrit Pienaar is an acting member of Khushana Creativity, incorporating workshops for the Disabled, helping them fulfil their dreams. He strongly believes in upliftment and creating possibilities for the less fortunate. Gerrit mentors disabled beaders by giving them basic designs to bead. He is delighted to see their traditional beading talents emerge in a modern expression of fashion.

The design for Tansey’s Traditional dress incorporates baby peacock and ostrich feathers and is made from shot silk in a bright aquamarine hue. The bodice is tight fitting and ostrich and peacock feathers in shades of royal blues accentuate Tansey’s elegant collar bones and slim torso. The panelled dress is long and flared with diamante and Swarovski beading.

“The ostrich is one of SA’s most beautiful birds and ostrich feathers are considered a favourite accent with international couturiers,” says Gerrit Pienaar.

“As Tansey makes her universal debut she will make an impressive statement in both her evening gown and traditional dress,” says Graham Wood, Divisional Director Sun International Resorts Designate, “her arresting beauty will captivate the audience and judges.”

Tansey will take with her the national gift to be bestowed upon Vietnam which will be auctioned at the Official Miss Universe Auction.  South Africa's national gift is a brightly beaded Vuvuzela (noise-making trumpet of South African football fans) designed by Gerrit Pienaar and beaded by disabled members of Khushana Creativity.

The beadwork on the Vuvuzela represents tribal South Africa reflecting traditional Zulu, Ndebele and Venda beading.

“The Vuvuzela will be presented in a handcrafted wooden box with the words “SA is ready for 2010” beaded into the wood,” says Gerrit.

Tansey will be wearing a gown designed by Kobus Pienaar at the Official Auction. Kobus is based in Cape Town and his elegant dresses have won the J&B Met Most Elegant Competition for four consecutive years. After 15 years in the fashion business, he’s applied his expert skill and tasteful creativity to design garments that make his female clients feel as beautiful on the inside as they look on the outside.

As Kobus says: "I don't try and keep up with what is fashionable. I prefer to design for the individual, ensuring that what I create will suit her body type and personality. I believe I have perfectly captured Tansey’s spirit with my design.”

The periwinkle coloured gown is a classic cut with a modern twist and accentuated with fine detail. It is cut on the bias to emphasis her perfectly proportioned body.  The gown is embroidered with diamante and Swarovski crystals on the cups of the dress to highlight her torso and face. The hem of the dress trails slightly and has a laser cut design so it will appear as if she emerges from the stage to be part of her surroundings, creating Goddess- type illusion.

JJ Schoeman has designed Tansey’s official interview suit. JJ is one of South Africa’s top fashion designers, known and respected for his ability to create feminine and glamorous gowns with Euro-centric fashion styling. JJ has showed his collection in New York at the International Couture Fashion week in addition to a special viewing at the historical Waldorf Hotel 5th Avenue.
The interview suit has a modern high waist black skirt with cumber band detail.  The skirt is reminiscent of the classic 40’s look originated by Christian Dior, sleek, classic and tight fitting. Teamed together with the skirt is a body hugging blouse in cerise pink and turquoise with a stand up, contemporary collar. A loose tie belt accessory completes the look. The look is modern and stylish and is sure to boost Tansey’s confidence.

Charlene Sauerman has designed two evening dresses for Tansey to take to the Miss Universe Competition. With more than 16 years experience in the couture industry, Charlene has become one of South Africa’s most popular designers based in Cape Town. Charlene has a passion and distinguishing flair for designing exclusive evening gowns, creating the gown to suit the individual. With her designs she has magically captured Tansey’s inimitable spirit.

Charlene’s has designed a black evening gown for Tansey’s visit to the Vietnamese President’s Dinner and a bright fuchsia pink dress for the Official Welcome Dinner.

“I wanted Tansey’s gowns to express her tangible energy and accentuate her exotic look! I was inspired by her beautiful body, skin tone and her lovely personality,” says Charlene.

The colours and beading compliment her skin, and the silk fabric and crystal adornments are fit for a beauty queen.  Rich beading was used to create a look that would make her stand out from the rest; an African queen destined to influence the entire Universe!

Please contact us for any media related queries please or follow Miss SA’s online diary to keep abreast of all the exciting day to day occurrences during her reign.