Durban - As the race towards the Miss South Africa pageant hots up, the names of the Top 15 were released this week.
Representing KwaZulu-Natal will be Karishma Ramdev and Matsepo Sithole.
Ramdev (25) comes from Chatsworth in KwaZulu Natal but lives in Johannesburg where she is a qualified medical doctor working at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital.
She says she is blessed to have had her family as her support structure during this time as working on the frontline has been stressful "as we are one of the main Covid-19 hospitals dealing with the coronavirus."
If she wins Miss SA, she says she would like to meet Queen Elizabeth II so that she could ask her advice on how to keep her crown shiny!
“Grateful is an understatement. I feel honoured to have been selected as one of the Top 15. Each girl has such amazing qualities and I am so happy to stand beside all of them representing strong women in South Africa; women who are ready to make a difference. The journey has been nerve-wracking but so wonderful. South Africa has been incredible and encouraging to me and I do not take it for granted. I cannot wait for the ride of a lifetime!" she said.
Sithole is 21-years-old and is from Pietermaritzburg. She is a full-time 4th year law student at the University of Pretoria.
Her goal in getting her degree is transformation and justice in South Africa.
She says current Miss SA Sasha-Lee Olivier has inspired her to remind her why it is so important to be comfortable in your own skin and that every shape and size that women come in are nothing but beautiful. She describes herself as an introvert but also optimistic, caring and assertive.
"I feel powerful because I have been given the opportunity to be a mouthpiece for the creative industry. Moreover, excited and thankful for such an amazing achievement. The journey has been both wonderful and challenging," she said.
Sithole said she has had to operate under the notion of 'against all odds'.
The contestants represent seven provinces – Gauteng has six semi-finalists (with three from Tshwane and one from Soweto), followed by the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape with two each while the Free State, Limpopo and North West each has one entrant.
The public will now be able to vote for their favourite semi-finalists and determine who moves forward to the next round as a Top 10 finalist. Voting for Miss South Africa closes on July 16 at 11pm. The public votes will be audited along with the judges’ votes and the Top 10 will be selected from here and announced at the end of July.