The first beauty queen in a free South Africa
Beauty queen turned media entrepreneur Basetsana Kumalo was the first woman to be crowned Miss South Africa after her country's first democratic elections.
Basetsana Kumalo is easily one of South Africa’s most recognisable celebrity figures. She shot to fame as Miss South Africa in 1994, just months after Nelson Mandela was elected president. Basetsana was the first black contestant to win the contest in the country's new "freedom era" and, by default, became the face of South Africa’s new democracy. After this Basetsana hosted one of the country's top lifestyle programmes and today she's a successful media entrepreneur. Her book is called: Bassie, My Journey of Hope.
Presenter: Andile Masuku
Producer: Deiniol Buxton
Picture: Basetsana Kumalo during the SA Style Awards in Johannesburg.
Credit: Gallo Images / Contributor
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- Sat 11 Jan 2020 23:32GMT91Èȱ¬ World Service except Americas and the Caribbean
- Sun 12 Jan 2020 09:32GMT91Èȱ¬ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sun 12 Jan 2020 10:32GMT91Èȱ¬ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa