The 112 Miss World contestants made their first appearance in fine style at a black tie banquet held to welcome them to the city.

Miss South Africa and Miss Lithuania looked stunning in their evening gowns

ACTING Mayor Nandi Mayathula-Khoza hosted a sumptuous, black tie banquet to welcome the 112 Miss World finalists to Joburg.

Held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Monday, 17 November, local celebrities and business people were among the guests, including singer Yvonne Chaka-Chaka; mining magnate Patrice Motsepe and his wife Precious Moloi-Motsepe; former Miss South Africas Basetsana Khumalo and Augustine Chuene; reigning Miss World Zi Ling Zhang; and reigning Miss South Africa Tansey Coetzee.

Wearing a black dress with gold detailing, Mayathula-Khoza encouraged the contestants to enjoy this marvellous city. "The event will showcase our beautiful country, our beautiful province and beautiful city."

They should visit all of Joburg's tourism destinations, including Nelson Mandela Bridge and the world famous Vilakazi Street, in Soweto. "Do not resist spending your dollars, because Johannesburg has the best to offer," Mayathula-Khoza said.

The Miss World contestants have a full diary while in Johannesburg in the lead up to the final pageant, on 13 December, including a charity ball, a photo shoot at the iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge, a tree planting in Soweto and a Hospice visit on World Aids Day.

A message from Executive Mayor Amos Masondo was played at the banquet, in which he said that hosting the Miss World pageant in Joburg was not just a quest to find the fairest of them all. It was also to sustain the City's economy and promote its tourism attractions to the world.

Winners all
The women should not worry much about winning the title, because simply being in Joburg made them all winners, Masondo said.

Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, MMC for Community Development with Tansey Coetzee, Miss South Africa, Qedani Mahlangu, Gauteng MEC for Local Government, Lindiwe Mahlangu, chief executive of JTC, and Precious Moloi, wife of mining magnate, Patrice Motsepe

"We are renowned for our hospitality ands spirit of ubuntu. I want to assure our guests that we will give them Africa's warmest welcome, and of course, there is a lot of heritage sites they will see which will, hopefully, help them to understand the beauty and diversity of this country," Masondo said.

Lindiwe Mahlangu, the chief executive officer of the Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC), also dressed in black and gold, accessorised with striking jewellery, said hosting the beauty pageant meant that the city's time had come.

She was grateful to the Miss World Organisation - chaired by Julia Morley - for choosing Joburg as the host city, saying it would bring a wealth of tourism opportunities. The event would bring massive marketing opportunities and global exposure of the beauty, variety and cultural diversity of South Africa.

"Beauty pageants have gone beyond their classic definition and have become much more involved in many other worthy causes, hence the phrase Beauty with a purpose," she explained.

Beauty with a Purpose is the vehicle through which the organisation raises funds for charity.

Some of the cash raised through the pageant have been earmarked for social responsibility initiatives.

"I am confident that the faith displayed by [the Miss World Organisation] in letting us host the pageant will demonstrate to the world that South Africa is not only a destination of choice but will entrench our readiness to host big events," Mahlangu explained.

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