University of Cape Town film and acting student Chiedza Lorraine Mhosva was crowned Miss World Zimbabwe 2017 last weekend at Borrowdale Brooke Golf Course, beating 15 other contenders from different provinces.
The 22-year-old beauty walked away with a cash prize amounting to $20 000 and a brand new vehicle to be unveiled in two weeks’ time.
Gokwe beauty Everlyn Njelele (23) was crowned first princess, walking away with $10 000, while second princess Kundai Claire Somerai (21) took home $5 000.
Miss Personality was won by Tariro Zvizhinji aged 23 and she scooped a prize of $5 000.
The Miss Personality award was based on a voting system which was open on social media.
In an interview after the crowning ceremony, the cheerful Miss Mhosva said she was excited and shocked.
“I am excited and still can’t believe this. It has been my dream and I thank God for the opportunity. The first thing that I am going to do with the money is to take my mother out.
“It has been long since I did that. I also want to pay my tuition fees and at the same time look for someone who would want the same assistance,” she said.
Miss Mhosva said she is not new to the modelling industry as she was once on the ramp and did photo-shoots for some fashion houses.
“In 2014, I entered Miss Parade and was voted first runner-up. I am signed with Decean Modelling Agency in Cape Town, South Africa,” she said.
Asked what her major strength was during the boot-camp to the finale, she said she was identifying her strengths.
“I took the tutorials by Marry Chiwenga. I said my aim is the crown. Here I am,” she said.
Miss Mhosva said models should work with professional agencies for them to succeed in the industry as they know the actual requirements.
She sailed through her question and answer well after being asked: “What does this year’s theme mean to you?”
“It means love and beauty is not only based on physical features, but intelligence, heart and love and that was what the late Kiki Divaris was made of”
Here is a quick look at the whole show: The sponsor Former Miss Tourism Zimbabwe 2016 sponsor Big Time Investments, chief executive Mr Justice Maphosa took another step in sponsoring this pageant from prizes, stage-work, and lighting to some of the performers.
Mr Maphosa said he has passion in the development of beauty pageants, especially in Zimbabwe.
“We always see and admire other pageants from other countries, but why not bring that home? Yes, I have sponsored this pageant and we are going to sit down with Miss Zimbabwe Trust to structure our partnership agreement. I will hand over the prizes in two weeks’ time,” he said.
He didn’t want to say how much he had invested in this pageant, but said it is about patriotism.
Mr Maphosa gave all 16 finalists $1 000 cash apart from the grand prizes.
The beauty pageant Yes, a lot have been said about the 16 finalists, with some people blasting them on social media that Zimbabwe wasn’t ready with the quality of girls taking part at the pageant.
We need to support and appreciate each other for the betterment of the industry.
However, the girls somehow seemed nervous although stage-work was well-choreographed, courtesy of Hillary Indi.
There was a missing wow factor in them.
Then there was this missing issue too, the models had no tags (numbering) as the norm as it was somehow difficult to remember who the first was or last.
Perhaps the judges and crowd were assisted by the screens which had their pictures and numbers.
Another factor was on uniformity.
They had designers who worked on them, but somehow seems the models used their own shoes.
The models nightwear was done by local designer Spero Villiot and it matched world standards.
Another gem of the night was when they choreographed with MTM song ‘Chekeche’ which drove the crowd into frenzy as the models introduced themselves.
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