We've barely recovered from the farce that was the 2008 Miss SA pageant, and the rumour mills are abuzz with the news that yet another national pageant has been "rigged". Pageants have the worst reputation for "rigging" and "fixing", yet the phenomenon is not unique to South Africa.It's the worst kept secret that favouritism, nepotism and the "buddy" system rule in the pageant world, and short of "entertaining" the judges in private, the only way to succeed in the pageant world is to schmooz the organisers or their associates. One would have hoped that in this age of pseudo-transparency and equality in South Africa, that a past-time as silly and insignificant as a beauty pageant would escape the scourge that appears to be the norm.
I'm not certain if it's mis- or dis-information, but if rumours are to be believed, it appears that the winner of the Miss Fertiliser & Topsoil SA pageant has already been chosen. Hopefully the rumour is only that as the girl from KZN (again?) that is supposed to be winning is really not pretty at all.
Whilst organisations that foot the bill for international pageant participation have a right to select the girl that they feel will best represent their organisations, I do have a problem with the staging of a farcical "pageant". If they want an organisational representative, have closed-door interviews and name the successful applicant in the press. Don't pre-select a winner and make fools of the girls that are destined to be also-rans no matter how hard they try.
Perhaps it's time for a national beauty pageant controlling ministry to be established in South Africa. Oops! Crap idea. Julius Malema will probably run get to run that one.