Lalela Mswane

Lalela Mswane (born 27 March 1997[2]) is a South African model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss South Africa 2021. As Miss South Africa, she represented South Africa at Miss Universe 2021 pageant in Eilat, Israel and finished as 2nd runner-up. This is South Africa's highest placement after reaching top 2 for three consecutive years (2017-2019) and being unplaced at the previous edition of the competition.

Lalela Mswane
Born (1997-03-27) 27 March 1997
Richards Bay, South Africa
EducationUniversity of Pretoria (LLB)
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss South Africa 2021
Hair colorBlack
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)		Miss South Africa 2021
(Winner)
Miss Universe 2021
(2nd runner-up)

Early life and education

Mswane was born in Richards Bay, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.[2] Her father, Muntu Mswane, was an Eswatini-born former diplomat and minister who died in 2010, while her mother Hleliselwe worked as an accounts clerk and homemaker.[3][2] She is the youngest of three children, having an elder brother and sister. After completing her secondary education at Pro Arte Alphen Park in 2015, Mswane enrolled in the University of Pretoria, later graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree.[2][4]

Prior to becoming Miss South Africa, Mswane worked as a professional model signed to the South African modeling agency Alushi Models.[1]

Pageantry

Mswane began her pageantry career after participating in the Matric Experience 2015 pageant, where she finished as the first runner-up.[2]

Miss South Africa 2021

On 6 July 2021, Mswane was announced as one of the 30 women shortlisted for the Miss South Africa 2021 competition.[5][6] Following a further series of interviews and public voting, she was announced on 3 August as one of the ten semifinalists who advanced to the televised finale.[7][8]

The finals of Miss South Africa 2021 was held on 16 October, at Grand West Arena in Cape Town. After participating in the swimsuit and evening gown portions of the competition, Mswane advanced as a member of the top five. She later competed in the question and answer round, and was selected as one of the three finalists, before being crowned as Miss South Africa 2021.[9][10][11] As Miss South Africa, Mswane received an array of prizes and rewards, including R1 million, a one-year residence in a fully furnished apartment in Sandton, a one-year lease on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and the opportunity to represent South Africa at Miss Universe 2021.[12]

Miss Universe 2021

On 14 November 2021, the government of South Africa withdrew its support to Miss South Africa 2021 for the Miss Universe 2021 beauty pageant because the event is organized in Israel.[13] Before the governments withdrawal, the Miss SA official Instagram account confirmed in a post with comments disabled, that Lalela will be attending despite the clear public outrage against it from a quarter of South Africans.[14] On November 27th, Lalela updated on her Instagram page that she has decided to partake in Miss Universe after weeks of absence and received positive responses from majority of the public on her post's comment section.[15] On 12th December 2021 Lalela competed for the title of Miss Universe 2021 in Eilat,Israel. She finished as 2nd Runner Up, gaining South Africa's highest placement since 2019 when Zozibini Tunzi won the title.

References
  1. "Lalela". Alushi Models. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  2. "LALELA MSWANE - KWASOKHULU, RICHARDS BAY, KWAZULU-NATAL" (PDF). Miss South Africa. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  3. "Lalela Mswane makes it to Miss SA Top 10". Times of Swaziland. 4 August 2021.
  4. "Getting to know Lalela Mswane: Time is the most precious gift". The Sowetan. 8 October 2021.
  5. Miss South Africa 2021. "Road to Miss South Africa".
  6. "Meet the Miss South Africa 2021 top 30 contestants". News24. 6 July 2021.
  7. Morkel, Graye. "Where to watch the Miss South Africa top 10 reveal". Channel. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  8. "PHOTOS Miss South Africa 2021 top 10 finalists announced". Channel 24. 3 August 2021.
  9. "Meet Lalela Mswane: Our brand new Miss South Africa 2021". Jacaranda FM. 16 October 2021.
  10. "All hail queen Lalela Mswane, winner of the 2021 Miss SA pageant". TimesLIVE. 16 October 2021.
  11. "Lalela Mswane crowned Miss South Africa 2021". Channel 24. 16 October 2021.
  12. "ust in! Lalela Mswane is crowned Miss South Africa 2021". The South African. 16 October 2021.
  13. https://www.newsendip.com/miss-south-africa-2021-participation-miss-universe-israel-boycott/
  14. "@official_misssa statement". 9 November 2021.
  15. "@lalela_mswane statement". Retrieved 2021-11-28.
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