Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane, presents herself on stage during the swimsuit competition of the preliminary stage of the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel’s southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat on 10 December 2021. Image: Menahem Kahana/AFP.
In Pictures: The best of Lalela Mswane at Miss Universe
Take a look at Lalela Mswane’s best moments at the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel’s southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat.
Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane, presents herself on stage during the swimsuit competition of the preliminary stage of the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel’s southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat on 10 December 2021. Image: Menahem Kahana/AFP.
Halala! In celebration of Lalela Mswane’s crowning glory at the 2021 Miss Universe competition, here is a closer look at Lalela’s best moments throughout the pageant:
Lalela Mswane’s Crowning Glory at Miss Universe
After the 24-year-old faced criticism from fellow South Africans and human rights and pro-Palestine activists, the LLB graduate was named the second runner-up at the 2021 Miss Universe pageant.
Harnaaz Sandhu, who represented India, was ultimately crowned Miss Universe 2021 in Eilat, Israel on Sunday, 13 December 2021. Meanwhile, Miss Paraguay, Nadia Ferreira was crowned the first runner-up out of 80 contestants from around the world.
The Top 5 includes Miss Colombia, Valeria Maria Ayos Bossa and Miss Philippines, Beatrice Luigi Gomez.
Before the pageant took place, pageant predictors claimed that Lalela stood a very good chance of winning the crown. She later advanced to the Top 10 after the preliminary stage.
Lalela – who is also a professional ballerina – also stunned the audience with her national costume which embodied a white dove, symbolising “peace”.
The look consisted of a white bodysuit covered in white feathers.
Lalela also wore an elaborate headpiece and donned a pair of ballet slippers.
She also donned a white two-piece during the swimsuit competition of the preliminary stage.
Meanwhile, Lalela had to answer a question from the host, Steve Harvey, about giving advice to young women on the pressures they face today. This is what she said:
“I would implore young women today to choose courage over comfort at every opportunity they get. I’d also like young women to know that since the beginning of time, they’ve had everything within them to achieve anything they’ve wanted. It was, unfortunately, the world, that convinced us that we did not.”
