Back in the 70's and 80's, South Africa was suffocating at the hands of the National Party-NG Kerk alliance moral stranglehold. Freedom of expression was carefully monitored and controlled by the local "Stasi". Back then women didn't have boobs and people didn't have genitalia.One publication that consistently defied the iron grip was the girlie publication, Scope magazine. A number of their editions were banned for either showing too much flesh or addressing a subject that the establishment considered too risque. In today's market, the Scope would be considered very tame and lame.
An annual highlight for the magazine was the Girl of the Year contest. Every month (it was a monthly publication if memory serves me correctly ... or was it fortnightly?), the centerfold would feature a scantily clad nymphet. The 12 monthly winners would then progress to a final contest that was held early in the following year.
The pageant was as impressive as the Miss SA pageant and far outdid the latter in terms of quality and value of the prize package. A number of winners and finalists had either been or went on to be contestants at the Miss SA pageant. One notable winner was Andrea Stelzer in 1982.
I don't recall the names of all the 1983 winners in the photograph above, but the brunette in the black dress is Wendy Ross who had been a runner-up in the 1979 Miss SA pageant.