WATCH: Miss SA bids us farewell
Reigning Miss South Africa Liesl Laurie and her First Princess Refilwe Mthimunye today revealed some of their pageant costumes as they prepare to compete in the Miss World and Miss Universe competitions respectively.
Laurie leaves South Africa this week to compete in the 65th Miss World competition which takes place at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, China PR on December 19. South Africa's Rolene Strauss will crown her successor at the end of the event.
Contestants arrive on November 21 and have a jam packed schedule, competing in Miss World challenges, ahead of the grand finale. Contestants will be judged on tasks including Top Model, Talent, Multimedia, Sports & Fitness and Beauty with a Purpose.
Laurie, the 23-year-old Eldorado Park beauty, will be representing South Africa against 123 other countries in the competition which is watched worldwide by just short of one-billion people.
Bronkhorstspruit-born Mthimunye will be representing South Africa at the 64th Miss Universe pageant held at The Axis in Las Vegas in the US on December 20 with nearly 80 contestants from around the world taking part. Paulina Vega from Colombia will crown her successor.
At the Miss World pageant, Laurie will be wearing gowns created by Bloemfontein-designer Casper Bosman, who also designed some costumes last year for her predecessor Rolene Strauss.