I do not support beauty pageants, I regard them as an extension of patriarchy that reinforce patriarchal standards for women. But while I am generally uninterested in pageants, I am interested in the issue of recently crowned Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane, going to Israel to represent SA in the Miss Universe pageant. Contrary to organisers of Miss SA, the issue is not just about modelling, it is a serious political question.

According to Sun International, which was the sole licence-holder for the pageant for almost two decades, and now an associate sponsor, winners of the pageant are “shaped into brand ambassadors for our country”. It stands to reason then that Miss SA represents the values of who we are as a people...