Local lass takes Tropika treasure
AFTER spending close to a month testing her strength and abilities in the Maldives in various strenuous challenges, eManzimtoti beauty Lisanne Lazarus emerged victorious in the Tropika Island of Treasure contest, staking her claim on half of the R1 million cash prize.
The 22-year-old digital producer at East Coast Radio and her celebrity teammate, Brendan Peyper, were announced as the overall winners on the show’s finale, screened on SABC 3 on Monday night.
The show brought together seven ordinary South Africans and seven celebrities who had to undergo a series of tough challenges to avoid getting eliminated each week.
Lazarus told POST on Tuesday that she felt “very excited and very blessed”.
“It has really been an amazing journey. I am thrilled to have had such a great opportunity to make new friends, meet new people, create lasting memories, and walk away victorious.
“This challenge was actually chosen for me. I was signed up for the show by a former manager when they were holding auditions at a mall I was working at last October.
“I never stressed about whether I would make it or not as I always believe what is meant to happen, will happen,” she said.
Lazarus, who is always active and has enjoyed playing sports since her school days, said some of the challenges were tough, but she was glad to have had as her partner, Peyper, who was really strong.
“During the challenges you really get the chance to test your strengths and weaknesses,” she said.
“My favourite challenge was the ‘House of Cards’, and you had to stack little tiles on top of each other. It was my favourite because I was the only one to complete the challenge.”
There’s more excitement heading her way, graduating cum laude in her journalism diploma from the Durban University of Technology next week.
“I am really excited to graduate and start developing a bright and exciting future in my chosen path of broadcast journalism,” she said.
“I also hope to motivate others to never underestimate themselves and to always remember that if they put their mind to doing something, they can definitely achieve it.