Times Of Swaziland: OVER E150K GRAND PRIZES FOR MISS ESWATINI OVER E150K GRAND PRIZES FOR MISS ESWATINI ================================================================================ Nombuso Dlamini on 18/08/2022 08:53:00 MBABANE – There’s bit of something for everyone this year at the Miss Eswatini pageant. For a change, there will be winnings for the top 10, top three and the one who takes the crown. Followers of the pageant are on high alert as the beauty platform is dishing out something new every single day, today we look at the prizes to be won this year. The backlash that was spreading like wild fire on social media over the planning of the event is laid to rest with the release of the bigger winnings in store for the contestants this year, which are bigger than all the other years. ‘Education over lifestyle’ is what the organising team is promoting this year, as the queen will walk away with a fully paid scholarship for any course she chooses, sponsored by Limkokwing University of Technology, among many more. This development was explained further by Miss Eswatini President Catrien Potgieter, who mentioned that with the uncertainty of the fluctuating economy, they were trying to give the girls something that is most important; education. She further mentioned that a car really didn’t make sense for the team because if they bought an unemployed individual a car, how would they maintain it, which is now a struggle for someone who has a full-time job. The crowning is set for November on a date yet to be confirmed. This year will also see the runners-up walk away with grand prizes. Sponsors The organisers have declared that there are a lot more sponsors coming on board to support the contestants on their journey to becoming the fairest of them all. “We are still in discussion with some companies and private sponsors that we will reveal as soon as we have confirmation,” said Potgieter. Previously, the winners would walk away with similar prizes and a car which was scrapped of, as a prize back in 2018. In that year, the comparison between the prizes in the kingdom and South Africa (SA) created a great outcry, some of the then Members of Parliament (MPs) asked for the pageant to be scrapped. In SA, when Miss SA was crowned in 2018, she walked away with a prize package of more than E3 million, which was the largest in the history of the event. The winner received E1 million in cash from Cell C and Sun International, as well as the use of a fully-furnished and serviced apartment for the year of her reign. She also walked away with a Nissan Qashqai worth E445 500 and was further provided with the use of designer outfits for her red carpet appearances. She also received a Cell C voice and data contract, Discovery Insure insurance and medical aid, and Africology product and spa services. Local outgoing queen, Nosipho Dlamini, received a scholarship to study abroad and free driving lessons at Viwa’s Driving School. She also walked away with a hamper of beauty products.