28 Jul 2019

The organisers of Miss Botswana have announced  top 30 finalists for the 2019 edition, who will also battle it out until only 12 are left for the grand finale.

The 30 finalists were selected during the national Miss Botswana auditions that took place in different places such as Gaborone, Maun, Ghanzi, Palapye, Selebi Phikwe and Francistown.

Development Advanced Institute (DAI) director, Benjamin Raletsatsi, is confident this year’s edition is free of controversy as opposed to last year’s. He said they also intended to contribute to the fashion and beauty industry.

“The finalists will soon start boot camp sessions on various pageant demands such as make-up, fitness and walking on the ramp, and on August 17, we will have the fashion show that will cut the ladies to 12, who will move to the grand finale to be held on September 21, 2019,’’ he said.

Raletsatsi further revealed that there would be an SMS competition as well as voting on their Facebook page, where  one who garners more Facebook likes will automatically enter the top 12. La calla jewelleries co-founder, Caiphas Othomile said because Botswana’s economy is driven by diamonds, their company thus found it imperative to have a new Miss Botswana crown designed and manufactured locally.

 He said the crown would reflect the dynamic nature of Botswana’s culture and incorporate indigenous materials and diamonds.

Othomile also highlighted that this year’s crown, is called ‘Mosadi wa tlhwatlhwa’.

The inspiration behind the crown is how a noble woman is identified in Botswana, where the norm is for a woman to wear a doek during social gatherings to give the event a cultural identity as well as a sign of respect and submission to the community, he said.

In addition, he said the focal point of the design depicts an abstract head of a woman wearing a doek, which also incorporates the Botswana flag colours visualised by Botswana diamonds.

The concept denotes that being crowned Miss Botswana is not only about individual victory, but it represents national pride. Ends