Miss Botswana controversy deepens
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Sunday March 27, 2022 06:00
Molefe arrived in the country on Tuesday, albeit on a rather low-key homecoming with just Miss Botswana team and her family at the airport to welcome her. She was initially scheduled to arrive in the country back on Sunday, but allegedly missed her flight. Unlike her return last year during her first stint at the competition when she was welcomed by songs and dance, Tuesday’s arrival seemingly deepened the controversy regarding her bid at the Miss World competition. Prior to her run, there was much enthusiasm about Molefe’s competition at the pageant with high expectations here at home that she stood a good chance of bringing the crown.
However, after she failed to make top 12 cut, there was disappointment when Molefe revealed that she had wardrobe malfunction. The issue remains a mystery as it is yet to be explained either by the Miss Botswana organisers or the queen herself.
Pictures of Molefe cutting a dejected and lonely figure that circulated on social media Tuesday upon her return had many people asking questions with a whole lot of theories being made up about her situation.
There are allegations of animosity between Molefe and the Miss Botswana team as she feels that she was neglected during the competition while there are those who are of the view that the queen has not been entirely discreet to the Miss Botswana team. There are also allegations that there has been interference by higher government officials at the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC). On Wednesday, Public Relations Officer at MYSC Thobo Tlhasana could not be drawn to discuss the issue as he said they were awaiting a brief from Miss Botswana team. “We are waiting for Miss Botswana team to brief Minister on developments,” Tlhasana said.
Asked if the ministry is aware of why Molefe did not return on the initial scheduled day, Tlhasana said that they were only told that she had missed her flight. Tlhasana said there are not aware of any friction between Molefe and Miss Botswana team, safe to say that they hear such stories on social media. Contacted for comment and clarification on Molefe's wardrobe malfunction, one of the Miss Botswana team, Kaone Moremong said there has been many attempts to get a satisfactory answer from Miss Botswana Molefe, but still they have not gotten one. "We had even asked that the dresses we provided, which she consulted on, fitted and approved of be returned for further inspection, she has not done so,” she revealed. Clearing the issue on Molefe missing her flight on Sunday, Moremong said on Sunday Molefe communicated that she overslept and missed her flight. "We did not announce her arrival because we were uncertain of when the next available flight for her would be.
On Sunday we had arranged for our stakeholders who had come to welcome her," added Moremong who denied that there is some animosity between her and the reigning Miss Botswana queen. Asked if there was interference from higher government officials, which was now making it difficult to manage Molefe, Moremong said he could not answer the question at the moment.