Oweditse Phirinyane remains Queen till 2021
WeekendLife
As the year comes to end, and as is norm, this time of the year is pageant season. Many countries are hosting their pageants and picking the women who will represent their countries at the next Miss World pageant. However, most countries did not host their pageants this year. Miss World has also cancelled their event due to Covid-19 and travel restrictions.
Even so, South Africa pulled a great one and crowned their Queen. Which saw Shudufhadzo Musida become Miss South Africa. Despite the Covid-19 menace they remained steadfast in their mission to pull of their pageant. Although it should have been the same here at home, its unfortunately the contrary. It turns out that the team which had a five year plan to rebrand the Miss Botswana Pageantry failed to do exactly that this year.
However, there is no doubt that Miss Botswana was regaining its momentum and experiencing a turnaround. They brought and worked with the largest sector in the country to rebrand, this saw many designers, and other creatives coming through to beautify the Queen. The team also went to the extent of taking care of the Queens wardrobe at the Miss World 2019.
After reigning for a year during her Miss Botswana term, Oweditse Phirinyane, who recently shared her journey with WeekendLife, says her reign will be extended until next year 2021 when the next Queen will be crowned. While some were anticipating that their sweetheart Uua Murangi will step in as Queen, it seems the third door that could have possibly pushed her to the throne has shuttered once again.
In an interview with WeekendLife, the current license holder for Miss Botswana, Development Advanced Institute, under Benjamin Raletsatsi, confirmed with this publication, that they had plans of hosting this year. But they could not hence Phirinyane continuing her reign as Miss Botswana.
Oweditse Fafah Phirinyane is still Miss Botswana until next year when the organisers crown another queen, said Raletsatsi. As much as organisers would have liked to host the pageant, the outbreak of Covid-19 affected those plans because everyone was supposed to abide by the regulations set by the government through the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Raletsatsi explained that though they are faced with challenges they are still sticking to their strategies and plans to rebrand Miss Botswana. Yes the five year plan to rebrand Miss Botswana still stands and the organisers will continue with the strategy which they had already shared with the media.
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Creatives taking over 2023
Creativity is seen everywhere and these individuals did something recently that’s never been done before, and some are still killing it. We see creativity on streaming platforms, stages, runways, social media and boardrooms even. Some of them are revamping their businesses, and lately, clothing sale is thriving.
They love concept-driven designs, storytelling and they bring fresh ideas and new perspectives that will leave footprints in the sand. Post the COVID-19 pandemic, these creative minds utilized the drawing board and they became cognizant that monetizing content will actually take them far, which is frank nonetheless.
This is commendable though, but the creative industry will still need support from government in order for it to flourish further. Allocation of resources (funds, facilities and empowerment) should be done consistently, creativity must be raised and at the end of the day, the economy benefits from that kind of investment.
HAN C
Ever since he parted ways with his former manager, DJ Bougee Sid, Mahalapye born-pint sized, multi-award-winning artist, Hanceford Magapatona has been taking up space, unapologetically so. Han C has shown a strong will to take over the entire world, and he is in the right direction. He’s solely organizing the annual Mahalapye Spring Festival, which is taking place next weekend.
The Pepetetsa hitmaker raked some monies from his savings to put together this event. Mahalapye Spring Festival will feature Paige, Ubuntu Band, Khoisan, Amantle Brown and Double Up among others. Even though it didn’t come as a surprise, Han C was nominated at African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) in the US, under Best Male Southern Africa category.
However, the award was snatched by the late South African rapper, AKA. Its not all lost as Han C secured two nominations at the Yarona FM Music Awards (YAMAs): People’s Choice of the Year and Best Male Single.
KOKETSO MOTSWAGOLE
This entrepreneur has turned his dreams into reality, and his promising apparel business is now a fashion destination. Matter of fact, Motswagole weathered the storms to be where he is now because through criticism and social media bullying, he still leads the pack in fashion.
His social media accounts got deleted but through his online store, KM Sales, Motswagole is able to rake in some profits. He initially started selling from his car but now owns a busy store and has employed a number of young people.
KM Sales has been offering fashionable items (shoes, t-shirts, pants) and has been participating in various lifestyle events such as Garden of Drip where it showcases its products.
If there is one young entrepreneur to draw motivation from is Koketso. The business started from humble beginnings, at the time when he worked part time at Ipelegeng as a casual labor. Indeed, good things come to those who wait, or well, work like a slave today, live like a king tomorrow.
KAGISO LUDO DE KLERK
Vee Mampeezy’s ex-wife Kagiso De Klerk clearly did not sit and weep over their dramatic divorce. The famous social media influencer hurriedly picked up the pieces and went hard on promoting business online. She literally took social media influencing to the head and it is working for her.
This year saw her partnership with Shell reach greater heights, and obviously, she is raking lot of pulas from the deal. Kagiso has been making frequent appearances in top events in South Africa such as Bubbles in Spring and Gold and Diamond Experience.
GAONA DINTWE
After a long break from the limelight, renowned media and radio personality, Gaona Dintwe is back. She was missed by many on TV, and she’s back where she belongs, news anchoring on BTV. Gaona has also found a niche in podcasting. She is a host of her own podcast, Gaona Live Conversation, where various people share their stories on camera.
Some of what they discuss is Gender Based Violence (GBV), polygamy and drug addiction. This is highly commendable because even BTV doesn’t have programs that discuss these crucial social issues. The Lentswelemoruti native is also seen in various corporate events where she is engaged as a host.
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DITIRO LEERO ONE MAN SHOW ON THE PIPELINE
Now that one-man shows are made fashionable, traditional dance guru and ex-convict, Ditiro Leero is joining the crusade and he will be hosting his also. The show will be held next month at Zone 4 Farm in Selokolela, but the there are traditional dance music artists who have been lined up to perform at the show. Matshana, Morwa Leka and Maswailathota will be doing their thing and probably bring some heat too. Ditiro Leero will be making history as the first traditional artist to host a one-man show in Botswana.
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MISS BOTSWANA HAVING MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE
With only two months before Miss World 2023, the reigning Miss Botswana, Lesego Chombo is having many irons in the fire, preparing for the much-anticipated beauty pageant. Miss World 2023 will be the 71st edition of Miss World pageant and it will be held in India. Chombo has been spotted toning her body at Jack’s gym, a requirement that is taken seriously at the pageant. She has also been participating in charity events, something that should add to her profile at the Miss World.