At least 55 beauty queens from all over the world will descend on SA for this year’s Miss Heritage Global (MHG) competition next month. 

SA will be represented by Miss Heritage SA, 28-year-old Zabelo Hlabisa, and it will be hosted at Kalahari Waterfront in Thohoyandou.

According to the competition’s CEO, Mbofholowo Mbodi, a group of men founded MHG in 2013 to celebrate varying cultures of the world while also showcasing the beauty of human diversity.

“This global pageant is not solely based on beauty but has a lot to do with advocacy work for culture, for women, how they represent their heritage and culture and also the work they do for their respective communities. The competition is beyond the ramp,” she said.

The 55 ladies will partake in a 14-day boot camp week where they will be eliminated daily, leaving 45 ladies to compete for the crown. 

Mbodi said leading up to Heritage Day on September 24, there will be social development activities in various communities in Limpopo. 

“The purpose of these smaller yet significant activities is to get local businesses to showcase their offerings to the global market that will be present. It is for them to advertise what Limpopo can offer and from a tourism perspective, expose the world to the quality infrastructure that exists in this marganilised province,” she said. 

“This entire competition is also meant to add to the social and economical advancement of any place that we host in. It is Limpopo’s time to shine, moving away from the concrete jungle and the usual spots to stage a cultural competition in a place that is rich in culture.”

Hlabisa said she is honoured to be the host queen after three years of applying to represent SA. 

Interested ladies apply to be Miss Heritage SA with their supporting portfolios. This year, the applications were done virtually because of Covid-19’s new normal. 

Hlabisa was adopted from a young age by her teacher-turned-mother and believes it is that selfless act by her mother that gave her opportunities to advance in life. It is that story and Africanism that she wishes to represent as SA’s queen. 

“Being Miss Heritage is more than just a beauty pageant, it’s about being an advocate for change. I get to do good work in society by spreading education around heritage and culture, and what it means to be a united society and representing the true essence of being African,” said Hlabisa. .

She also shared that she fell in love with the idea of pageants after her mother encouraged her to pursue them, adding that the idea of combining her love for positive community work and walking the ramp is a dream she never knew she had. 

She gives cultural lessons, while also reaching out to people who need sanitary towels and food parcels. She also teaches girls the art of pageantry. “The latter is really about confidence and self belief,” she said. 

On why she does voluntary work at such a young age, she said: “My story is that of being raised by an entire community, my birth parents and my foster mother coming together for the betterment of my future. That for me is the true essence of what being African is about. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu and ubuntu are the two themes I want to show the world when the other ladies come here.”

Forming part of the judging panel will be reigning Miss SA Shudufhadzo Musida. 

malibaa@sowetan.co.za