The reason there is no second and third place at this year's Miss SA

• Lalela Mswane was crowned Miss South Africa 2021 on Saturday at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town.
• The two runners-up were Moratwe Masima, from Midrand in Gauteng, and Zimi Mabunzi from eQonce (King William's Town) Eastern Cape. 
• Lalela will represent the country at Miss Universe in December, it will be announced who will attend Miss World and Miss Supranational at a later stage.  

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Stephanie Weil, CEO of the Miss South Africa Organisation, explained why the organisation decided to forgo the first and second runner-up positions at this year's pageant.

Sunday's live show saw 24-year-old Lalela Mswane, who comes from KwaSokhulu in Richards Bay, be crowned Miss South Africa 2021. 

The two runners-up were Moratwe Masima, a qualified doctor from Midrand in Gauteng, and BCom Law degree student Zimi Mabunzi from eQonce (King William's Town) Eastern Cape. 

The top three will represent South Africa at the world's three most prestigious pageants - Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss Supranational. It has been announced that Lalela will attend Miss Universe, hosted in Israel, in December. Miss World South Africa, and Miss Supranational South Africa will be revealed in the coming days as the Miss South Africa Organisation decides which candidate would do best at which event.

In previous years, during the live show, the host would first announce the second runner-up, followed by the winner. This year, the host only announced the winner. 

Stephanie said about the organisation's decision: "The organisation in the last few years has really focused on changing things up. For me, it's not really about placements. Ten are incredibly empowered young women. Three get to represent us internationally. And one wears the crown. But the other two deserve the same journey without placement - making them higher or lower than the other.

"For me, regardless of the result. These three are the ambassadors for the country, and they each have to do that. To put a second or first place to it, I don't feel is the correct way to potentially go forward." 

"But for now, I really like the idea that everybody is on equal footing. And we try to give every single young woman, regardless of their position, such an incredible journey," she went on to say. 

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