26 Nov 2018

Renate Amos from Tobera in the North West District was on Saturday crowned Miss RADP 2018, beating 13 other contestants to scoop the title of the annual spectacle that has for the past five years been affording young women from remote area villages to showcase their talents.

Amos walked away with P50 000 prize for a project of her choice as well as P10 000 cash prize.

During question time, the Tobera beauty stole the hearts of the judges with her response to a question on how the use of the word ‘Moratshwana,’ a demeaning description of people from minority tribes, could divide people.

In response, Amos said the word was not only degrading, but could also breed an inferiority complex in people described as such, thereby causing a failure by such people to fully integrate into the rest of society.

She added that the failure to fully integrate could deny people described as ‘Meratshwana’ the right to enjoy their constitutional rights.

First princess, Tebogo Moitoki of Loologane in Kweneng District walked away with P30 000 project money as well as P10 000 cash prize while second princess, Boipelo Kebontse of Sekhutlane in the Southern District got P20 000 project money and P5 000 cash prize.

For the inaugural Mr RADP fashion show, which also pitted 14 contestants against each other, the crown went to Kgalagadi District’s Tankiso Kehumile. Kehumile, from Phuduhudu, got P10 000 cash prize.

First prince, Onkgomoditse Obiditswe of Mababe in the North West District walked away with P7 000 cash prize and second prince, Oseka Kolo of Grootlagte in Ghanzi District, got P5 000 richer.

Unlike their female counterparts, Mr RADP winners did not get funding for projects. All contestants from both Mr RADP fashion show and Miss RADP who failed to it make it into the top three each received P2 000 as consolation prizes.

Officiating at the pageant, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Botlogile Tshireletso noted that since its inception in 2013, Miss RADP had witnessed growth with every pageant due to the collaborative efforts of stakeholders, particularly the sponsors.

She hailed the pageant for having left a lasting impression in the lives of those who had participated, saying the winners of the past years had initiated various economic empowerment programmes that they continued to use to uplift their economic status.

Ms Tshireletso said Mr RADP fashion show was borne out of the need to empower young males from remote area communities by exposing them to a national platform where they could demonstrate their different talents and abilities. ENDS