MBABANE – Following social media uproar on posts made by the Miss Culture Global organisers on beauty pageants directors threatning their contestant, the ministry says it did not receive any complaints.
The pageant organisers posted on social media, copies of documents that they have written to the Minister forSports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Bongani Nzima, alleging that Eswatini beauty pageants Chairperson and Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture, Stanley Dlamini intimidates contestants thus tarnishing the country’s image.
This publication then contacted the ministry’s to find out what they have done about the situation, but to their surprise, no such letters had reached their office. “The ministry did not receive any formal allegations from Miss Culture Global regarding abuse of power or defamation in relation to the pageant. However, we wish to clarify the processes that govern national and international pageantry participation in Eswatini,” read their response.
The ministry also stated that they have directed ENCAC to ensure that all pageants and associations operating in the country are duly registered under ENCAC.
“International participation is guided by affiliation with these recognised associations.
Hence, individuals or organisations do not affiliate directly with the ministry, instead, they affiliate with the relevant associations, which then recommend eligible participants to ENCAC,” further read the ministry’s response.
The ministry also stated that it is important to emphasise that the ministry prioritises the safety, welfare and value addition for participants, as well as the image of the country.
“Furthermore, the Arts and Culture Policy stipulates that only individuals who have won a recognised pageant within Eswatini qualify to represent the country in international competitions. In this case, the said pageant contestant did not win any recognised competition locally and therefore did not meet the criteria for international participation,” ended their response.
The ENCAC CEO echoed the ministry’s response by stating that they indeed withdraw participation from the pageant after receiving recommendations. ‘‘Yes, after Melinda’s participation, we got recommendation that we withdraw since the pageant fell below any international or competition standards,” he said. Dlamini further stated that Maseko was not eligible to join the pageant as she was not recognised or a member of any pageant in the country. “Maseko has never participated or won any competition in the country. This pageantry chooses anyone who claims or confers a country’s flag without fully liaising with the relevant stakeholders from that particular country,” he said.
Dlamini further stated that in the future, just in case anyone wants to join an international pageant, they should know that pageant issues fall on beauty pageants association who recommend all international participation. “It is very simple, and logical policy says so, a person who joins must be affiliated with any pageantry in the land to be supported by council.
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