YOU'VE GOT IT, BABY
Miss SA beauties then and now
IT is two weeks until the new Miss South Africa is crowned, but Eldorado Park already has its very own Cinderella in Liesl Laurie.
The 24-year-old is the first finalist to come from the large Johannesburg township since the pageant’s inception in 1956.
And, boy, is she being pampered by proud residents in her neighbourhood.
All the area’s schools have posters of her in classrooms, neighbours have been raising funds for a new wardrobe and a local beautician is giving her free treatments until she heads off to Sun City for the big event at the end of the month.
“Being a finalist for this competition means you have to look good almost every day. Unfortunately, I can’t afford this lifestyle yet,” said Laurie this week.
The BCom graduate put her study plans on hold to focus on modelling, as well as to open a nonprofit organisation, the Pearl Project, which holds mo- tivational talks and workshops for young girls in her township.
Raised by her mother, Karen, and her grandmother Lorraine, Laurie never lost sight of her goal to become a beauty queen.
“From the age of four, I knew she would be a model,” said Karen. “In her teen years she watched and read a lot about beauty queens, including Miss World and [Miss] Universe.”
She said the family had been inundated with messages of support since Laurie became one of the 12 finalists.
A local church held a special prayer service for her last week and almost everyone who knows her now uses a photograph of Laurie as their WhatsApp pro- file picture on their phones.
“We are all proud of our Liesl and rally for her to win,” said a neighbour, Debbie du Preez.
She and her husband, Brian, began raising funds for Laurie’s new wardrobe the minute they heard she was struggling for outfits.
Finalists are not given clothes in the run-up to the finale.
“People know this area as a drug den, but she has shown everyone that something good can come out of here,” Du Preez said. “Her work with the young girls is amazing. She is the first girl to represent us nationally at a beauty pageant. We are so proud.”
Another resident, Carmen Kern, has volunteered to do Laurie’s hair and nails. She will also pamper her with facials until she goes to Sun City.
Laurie said: “I don’t regret growing up in Eldos: the community is so kind and friendly. I know people who have not lived there think it is a no-go area because of the crime and drugs . . . but the people still have ubuntu and growing up in the area has taught me to be streetwise.”
From Panorama in KwaZuluNatal to Idas Valley in Stellenbosch, this year’s Miss South Africa finalists are an eclectic bunch, some of them rough diamonds just waiting to shine.
Taryn Morris of Camps Bay, Cape Town, only became interested in beauty pageants late last year — despite her mother, Sharon, being a Miss South Africa semifinalist in 1985.
The proud mom said: “I think the interest only came when someone told her this could be a platform for her to raise funds for animals. She loves animals and likes to walk our three dogs here at home.”
For another finalist, the stunning Refilwe Mthimunye, 22, interacting with powerful and famous people has been a bit overwhelming.
The Bronkhorstspruit beauty said: “Right now, it is like God is giving me a taste of what life will be when I wear the crown.”
But the Unisa law student said taking part in some of the formal events in the run-up to the final made her feel as if she was leading a double life.
“One week I’ll be living a glamourous life, sleeping in hotels, chauffeured around with bodyguards and being treated as a VIP, but when the workshops are over, it’s back to the real life. This starts when I get off the Gautrain, drag my bags to a taxi rank and go home to Bronkhorstspruit,” she said.
Then it’s off with the flashy high heels and back into the comfortable flat shoes.
But being back with the people she had known for many years had helped keep her feet on the ground, she said.
Organisers said this year’s event had gained a lot of public interest thanks to Rolene Strauss winning the Miss World crown.
Miss South Africa Ziphozakhe Zokufa, who assumed the title when Strauss won Miss World in December, will crown this year’s winner. Strauss, currently based in London, will be attending the event. Another special guest at the pageant on March 29 will be former Miss World Anneline Kriel.
The people there still have ubuntu and growing up in the area has taught me to be streetwise