• Organizers say they should finish projects first then they will be paid
• No projects nor communication about projects from organizers, source allege.
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
The founder of Miss Africa beauty pageant, Bruce Nkgakile says winners of the pageant will only receive their prize money after completing their reign and respective projects.
This is despite sources close to the development telling Time Out that the reigning Miss Africa Botswana Peelo Mookodi had not yet received her P100 000 prize money. Sources also say 1st princess Modioki Gaborone and 2nd princess Uua Morangi have not received their P50 000 and P25 000 prize money.
Time Out however understands that despite being told that there would be projects for them to undertake after winning the competition, the beauty queens are currently idling with no projects to work on as the organizers have not yet arranged any projects for them.
Nkgakile however says that the competition did not initially include prize money for contestants as sponsors had not yet guaranteed monetary incentives:
“When we started the Miss Africa initiative, price money was not in line with our trade and the issue of price money was only mentioned the day of the pageant. However we also follow the international standards of beauty pageants, so we will be paying the winners at the end of their reign,” he said.
Nkgakile however, says the contestants have received some of the prizes which include gym sessions, massage and facials among others. He is however adamant that giving contestants money before completing their projects would be akin to “being paid for the work you have not done.”
“This price money is from a sponsor and they would like to see the work done before they hand over their money. We are currently working on the projects that these winners will undertake and all the details will be revealed via a press conference soon,” he said.
A source has however, dismissed Nkgakile’s claims, saying it was untrue that the winners received any prizes as there has never been any formal communication from the organizers about these prizes. “It is like the winners only exist on paper and social media, they are just idling in the dark…everything is sketchy, which is sad because the pageant was such a great initiative,” said the source.
Mookodi is expected to represent Botswana in Miss Africa International sometime this year. Dates and venues are yet to be confirmed.