Beauty pageant ditches Queen Nandi

Controversial TV reality star Nandi Mlombi, who is popularly known as Queen Nandi, alleges that a member of the methodist church is behind the reason she was disqualified from the Mrs Southern Africa beauty pageant.

On Thursday, the pageant issued a statement announcing she would no longer be part of the competition. 

“...After careful consideration and thorough review of recent events and their impact on the reputation and smooth execution of the pageant, the organising committee has determined that it is in the best interest of the pageant and its participants to disqualify Mrs Nandipha Mlombi (known as Queen Nandi on social media platforms) from the competition,” part of the statement read. 

Although the pageant did not go into details behind their decision, Queen Nandi, who said she was only made aware of her disqualification via email on Wednesday, said she believed her chances were sabotaged by a member of her church. 

“Last week someone decided to create a fake account solely to spread fake news about me and assassinate my character. The fake news spread like a wildfire and the person behind the account thought I would be scared and stop speaking the truth about the corruption and moral decay in the church. I’m not shaken nor moved by the propaganda,” she said. 

Although disappointed, the mother of six says she respects the decision made by the pageant. 

“I believe the pageant did what was best for their brand and I respect their decision. However, I do feel they’re promoting cancel culture, which promotes cyberbullying of public figures as they must suffer in silence all in the name of fearing to be cancelled or sidelined. Then we wonder why celebrities are suicidal and depressed,” she said.

Queen Nandi, has appeared in the Pastors’ Wives, a reality show that is flighted on Honey TV and she has also been on House Keepers, The Khambules and Meet The Khambules. She is married to reverend Mawuzole Mlombi, who used to minister at Bedfordview Methodist Church. Unlike most pastors’ wives who are reserved, Mlombi is pushing the envelope as an actress, model and events coordinator.

She recently made headlines for challenging her church’s rules and being vocal about what she regards as bullying towards her family after her husband was sidelined for supporting her for having a different outlook on how a new-age reverend’s wife should aspire to be.

Queen Nandi said she had been a beauty queen for a long time and entered her first pageant at the age of seven. She revealed that she entered the Mrs Southern Africa pageant because her daughter had entered the Miss Teen Southern Africa, which is a division of Southern Africa pageants. 

“I wanted us to do it together as mom and daughter side by side and advocate for ubuntu, which is one of the fundamentals of the programme.

“But now my focus is to coach my daughter Lizalise and support her journey as a Miss Teen Southern Africa contestant.”