And then there were three...
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday September 18, 2018 13:48
Modioki Gaborone and Moitshephi Elias were initially the two women interested in this year’s crown, but last year’s second princess, Neelo Nthobatsang, has since joined the race for the crown on Friday.
Seven young women from last year’s pageant who were eligible clearly indicated that they were not interested because of the past ill treatment from organisers among other issues. But according to Miss Botswana Restructuring team leader, Basadi Masimolole they decided to give the women a chance to reconsider and that is when one of them decided to bend.
“They were to send in their interest by 5pm on Saturday September 15, 2018. As at cut off, only one had changed her mind,” she said.
She said the finale will go on as planned on September 21 with three confirmed contestants. Masimolole said they have chosen not to cancel the event because they made a commitment to send through a 2018 country representative. She said Miss World suggested that they recall the top 6 contestants from the 2017 Miss Botswana Beauty Pageant and have a mini-pageant. Basimolole said instead they went the extra mile and called the top 12 excluding the winner.
“Of the 11 as announced on September 11, 2018, two were interested but not eligible, seven were eligible yet not interested while only two were (both) eligible and interested,” she said.
“Reasons given by the seven eligible yet not interested ranged from ‘I am busy with school’, ‘I am busy with work’, ‘I am not interested because of past years treatment’,” she said.
In terms of the judging, the general public voting through SMS line is open from 10am Tuesday 18 September to 10 am Friday 21 September 2018 and it counts to 25% of the overall votes. The Creative Industry and Past Miss Botswana Queens Representatives at the boot camp will contribute 25% as well, while the panel of judges at the event will also contribute the same percentage. Attendants at the event through an app will complete the remainig 25% votes.
“The crowning night will be strickly by invitation and corporate hosting. Very limited tickets at P1,500 will still be available from countrywide web ticket offices. Television broadcast will be available to the general public.”