Miss SA 2019: Everything you need to know

The Miss SA pageant will celebrate its 61st anniversary on Women's Day on Friday. The event will take place at Time Square in Pretoria and we've got everything you need to know about the pageant covered.

Bonang Matheba is hosting

The evening will be hosted by TV icon Bonang Matheba.

Bonang, who hosted the 2018 edition, has long been associated with the pageant. She was part of the judging panel which crowned Rolene Strauss in 2014. 

Bonang's House of BNG MCC is the official celebration sponsor.

Panel of judges

This year's event boasts an all-women judging panel.

It features talk show host Anele Mdoda, actress Connie Ferguson, former Miss SA Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, model, activist and lawyer Thando Hopa and reigning Miss Universe Catriona Gray.

The crown

The new Miss SA crown has been named Ubuhle Bethungo Lenkosazana, which means "beauty of the rainbow" in isiZulu.

The crown, designed by world-renowned designer Johan Louw, of Uwe Koetter Jewellers, weighs more than half a kilogram and is studded with 2,586 cubic zirconia stones.

According to the pageant, the crown celebrates women, diversity and the beauty of the rainbow. Craftsmen spent more than 192 hours making it.

Where and when you can watch

Miss SA will be broadcast live on Mzansi Magic and M-Net on DSTV.

Don’t have DStv? You can watch on your laptop at now.dstv.com or stream it to the nearest smart TV using the DStv Now app.

The event starts at 5pm. Tickets, available at Computicket, are nearly sold.

The prize

The winner of Miss SA will receive  R1m cash,  a car and entry into the Miss World or Miss Universe pageants.

In total Miss SA’s prizes amount to about R3m.