Times Of Swaziland: NEW MISS CULTURAL HERITAGE PAGEANT REGULATIONS WINNERS BANNED FROM MODELLING AGENCIES

NEW MISS CULTURAL HERITAGE PAGEANT REGULATIONS WINNERS BANNED FROM MODELLING
AGENCIES
================================================================================
Mxolisi Dlamini on 12/11/2024 08:18:00


MBABANE – The winners of the 2024 Miss Cultural Heritage pageant were
officially presented with their contracts on Friday at Alcon House in Manzini.
These contracts stipulated that pageant winners could not join any modelling
agencies during their reign. Before delving into the details of their contracts,
Pageants Eswatini Chairman Tony Dlamini stressed the need for winners to
comprehend the terms thoroughly, in consultation with their parents. “The
contract prohibits winners from engaging with modelling agencies after being
crowned. If you are part of Miss Culture you represent our culture not modelling
agencies.
We encourage all winners to discuss the contracts with their parents,” Dlamini
stated. His remarks were echoed by Stanley Dlamini, the Chief Executive Officer
of the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) who addressed the
recent sponsorships for Miss Culture.
Authority
“Winners of Miss Culture are expected to be ambassadors for our culture. We
discourage involvement with modelling agencies, as their primary role is to
promote our heritage. We request that parents assist in overseeing this process
as they hold final authority regarding their children, even after they have been
crowned,” he remarked. The contract requires pageant winners to sign the
agreement within seven days of being crowned. “The tenure of this pageant
begins immediately upon crowning and the contract must be signed within seven
working days.
The winners are expected to dedicate their time and energy to fulfilling the
responsibilities of this title. They also agree to attend the next pageant where
the new winner will be crowned,” part of the contract reads. A founder of a
well-known modelling agency, who wished to remain anonymous, indicated that the
Miss Culture contract limits modelling opportunities for winners during their
reign. “It is a wise decision to have winners focus on promoting culture as
part of Miss Culture. However the restriction on joining modelling agencies
during their reign curtails exposure to valuable opportunities in the modelling
industry,” he noted in an interview.
Mirroring practices in neighbouring South Africa, where national pageant winners
also refrain from collaborating with modelling agencies during their tenures, to
ensure that winners concentrate on their responsibilities. The ‘Pageants SA’
website outlines similar guidelines where winners may not join modelling
agencies until the completion of their term. The Miss Cultural Heritage pageant
is dedicated to preserving and promoting Eswatini’s rich cultural legacy. It
aims to instil a deep appreciation for local culture among the young women who
participate as they take on the role of cultural ambassadors. This year’s
sponsors for the Miss Cultural Heritage pageant include Eclipse Imisebe
Publishing Workers College and Manzini Phumula.