NOW: All Change! Miss SA 2018 Crowning Underway

Bonang Matheba is the host of this year's jubilee pageant.
Adè van Heerden.
Adè van Heerden.
Moeletsi Mabe/ The Times/ Gallo Images/ Getty Images

The 60th instalment of the Miss SA pageant is currently underway at the Sun Arena at Time Square in Pretoria.

The top 12 finalists will take to the stage, vying for the coveted title and R3-million prize package.

In attendance are all the former Miss SA titleholders including current Miss Universe 2018 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters and Miss Universe 1979 Magaret Gardiner.

Miss South Africa Dr Adè van Heerden will crown her successor during the highly anticipated 60th anniversary of the pageant.

But to mark the milestone anniversary, the format is getting a top-to-toe makeover.

This year's pageant will have seven judges rather than the usual four.

Watch it live on MNet (channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (channel 161).

The organisers announced on Monday that the panel had been increased to seven to mark the celebration of the pageant's diamond jubilee.

The judges are Anele Mdoda, who was part of the judging panel in 2014 and is making a return this year. She will be joined by marketing personality Khaya Dlanga; businesswoman and media mogul Khanyi Dhlomo; entrepreneur and television presenter Janez Vermeiren; award-winning magazine editor Michelle van Breda; celebrity chef and TV personality Siba Mtongana; and Miss World 2014 Dr Rolene Strauss.

In another dramatic change, instead of having a reigning queen with two princesses, this year there will only be two winners announced.

Following the cut from 12 to the top five finalists, the organisers will go straight to a top-two announcement. One woman from the duo will be named Miss World South Africa and the other Miss Universe South Africa.

Both will go on to represent South Africa on the global stage in each respective competition.

However, there will still only be one reigning Miss South Africa.

The selection panel will ask the two winners one final question as the competition draws to a close, and their answers will determine who is crowned the official Miss South Africa 2018. She will walk away with the R3-million prize package.

The prizes include R1-million in cash from Cell C and Sun International, as well as the use of a fully furnished and serviced apartment for the year of her reign, a Nissan Qashqai worth R445,500 and the use of designer garments for red-carpet appearances.

Instead of having one designer dress all the finalists, they will wear designs by six renowned South African designers: Anel Botha, Biji La Maison, Galluzzi e Gini, Orapeleng Modutle, Salomie Couture and Warrick Gautier, who have drawn inspiration from far and wide to create gowns for the finalists.

Creative director Werner Wessels said the aim is to put the emphasis on each contestant's individual style, to ensure that she feels her most beautiful and confident on stage.

"We wanted to empower each contestant by giving her the freedom and responsibility to collaborate with one of South Africa's premier designers to reflect her personality and really show South Africa who she is," he said.

The crowing will be televised live on MNet (channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (channel 161).

TV star Bonang Matheba will host the event.

Tickets are available at TicketPro and cost between R160 and R560.

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