Jacqui Mofokeng’s sister sets the record straight after social media reports mistakenly named Basetsana Kumalo as the first Miss SA this past weekend.
TLALENG MOFOKENG: ‘IT’S AN INSULT TO MY FAMILY’S LEGACY’
Tlaleng Mofokeng tells Zimoja that her sister Jacqui Mofokeng was the first black Miss SA in 1993, prior to Basetsana Kumalo in 1994.
“Mme Cynthia Shange (Miss SA 1970) went on to compete at Miss World during apartheid. Although the title was different then, there were two beauty titles in Mzansi at the time.”
“No matter how you word it, this is a lie and an erasure of the legacy of my sister, Ms Jacqui Mofokeng.”
“Jacqui crowned Basetsana in 1994. She was the first black Miss South Africa in 1993. “
Mofokeng’s sister adds she’s noted the lie for several years now and feels her sister’s history is being erased. She also reveals that the lie is an insult to the legacy of her family and Bafokeng (Phokeng).
Jacqui Mofokeng crowned Miss SA 1993. Images via X @PopPulseSA
WHERE IS JACQUI MOFOKENG NOW?
Soweto-born beauty queen, Jacqui Mofokeng was 21 years old when she was crowned Miss SA in 1993.
The 53-year-old has reportedly left the world of pageantry and is a successful businesswoman.
She was a parliamentary candidate in 2019 for the ANC, was elected to the National Assembly and sworn in on 22 May 2019.
The Citizen reported in 2012 that Mofokeng moved to the US and married an American man.
The former Miss SA who keeps her personal life private, reportedly lives with her husband in the state of New Jersey with their two children.
Miss SA 1994 Basetsana Kumalo at Miss World 1994. Images via X @TheJuiceSA and @sonnyspectra
BASETSANA KUMALO REFLECTS ON MISS WORLD
The Miss SA 1994, Basetsana Kumalo took to her Instagram in January to reflect on her participation in the Miss World pageant 30 years ago.
Kumalo, who was the first runner-up penned a message about her journey, while South Africa was undergoing a revolutionary period in its democracy.
She wrote: “Thirty years ago, I had the honor to represent our country on the Miss World stage. I didn’t walk alone on that stage; I was carried by every South African. It was a critical time in our history, the dawn of a new democracy, the rainbow nation, and the leadership of our first black President, Tata Nelson Mandela.”
She also expressed her gratitude for the doors that the pageant opened for her. The media mogul also recognised the platform as a catalyst for finding her voice and shaping her future.
“As I reflect upon that time, I am filled with awe and gratitude for what that platform did for me. It catapulted me to find my voice. I am so grateful for the love and support that has been extended to me over the years. I don’t take it for granted and count it all as joy.”
“It’s not a personal attack on anyone, Bassie included. I feel we can be so careless about it.”