Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane, poses in the evening gown during the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel’s southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat on December 13, 2021. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP)
‘I love my critics’: Lalela Mswane on being ‘most controversial Miss SA’
In an exclusive interview, former Miss SA Lalela Mswane revealed she had ‘no regrets’ over her controversial trip to Israel in 2021…
Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane, poses in the evening gown during the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel’s southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat on December 13, 2021. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP)
Lalela Mswane, a former Miss SA, has made all of her social media accounts private in the wake of social media backlash over her trip to Israel back in 2021.
Not for the first time, the beauty queen – who is a law graduate and professional dancer – found herself topping the trends list for all the wrong reasons.
This, amid South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, and allegiance with Gaza, at its hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
ALSO READ: Lalela Mswane dragged over Miss SA Israel trip amid SA’s Gaza stance
LALELA MSWANE HAS ‘NO REGRETS’ OVER ISRAEL TRIP
On 13 December 2021, the Miss Universe pageant took place in Eilat, Israel. The location was a source of great scrutiny for the international pageant.
Nevertheless, the Miss SA organisation and winner Lalela Mswane – who insisted on going – were criticised by the public and by the government for supporting an “Apartheid state.”
Despite the backlash, Lalela was crowned Miss Universe 2021 second-runner-up.
ALSO READ: ‘I felt so dirty’: Lalela on near-rape experience as a little girl
Speaking to The South African at the 2023 Miss SA crowning in August, Lalela Mswane responded to comments labelling her one of the most controversial title holders.
She said: “I love my critics. I think I’m being given an opportunity to grow. And just because you disagree with my decision doesn’t mean you shouldn’t respect me. Respect is the biggest thing we owe to each other”.
When asked if she regretted any of her choices – including her trip to Israel – Lalela responded: “No.”
CRITISICIM FOR MISS SA, MISS UNIVERSE
Lalela Mswane isn’t the only one feeling the heat. Both the Miss SA and Miss Universe pageant have come under fire over the 2021 crowning in Israel.
@Thato_blue: “Why did the Miss Universe organisation host the pageant in Israel? It’s not all on Lalela. The Miss SA organisation should have taken the stand against participating as well.”
@ezuuus: “Y’all will still attack Lalela for going to Israel but will never stop watching Miss SA, an organization that was willing to send her to an Apartheid state. It’s not making sense to me. F**k Miss SA, period and we should be boycotting.”
@wandi_mthembu: “While everyone is still talking about Lalela Mswane, don’t forget to also hold the Miss South Africa org accountable for sending her to Israel and to hold the Miss Universe organization accountable for agreeing to host its pageant in Israel despite international condemnation.”
‘I WANTED TO DIE BY SUICIDE’
While she may have had no regrets about her choices, Lalela Mswane did reveal how her decision affected her mental health
Speaking to Anika Larsen on eTV’s My Guest Tonight last year, the beauty queen revealed that she even considered suicide.
ALSO READ: ‘I wanted to kill myself’: Lalela Mswane on Israel pageant backlash [watch]
She said: “Many people see me, and they’re like, oh, at first, I was so confused. I hated you for doing it [going to Israel]. But I’m so glad you went. And I’m like, do you comprehend the level of trauma I went through for you to come then and say this?
“On Twitter, I was being bashed and, you know, going through it, and in person, you’re now going to be nice to me.”
Lalela then reflected on being pushed to the brink of considering suicide as an option.
“At a point, I actually wanted to die by suicide because I absolutely got to a point where I couldn’t handle it.
ALSO READ: Lalela Mswane addresses hot water over Miss Supranational
“There are so many people that have died by suicide when people actually know what they put them through. So I don’t think they [critcis] even care.
“And a part of me was like, I will jump and die, fall to my death. All because of people that don’t know me”.
