And Miss South Africa 2007 Is ...

The Miss South Africa Pageant will be held on December 8, 2007 at the Sun City Superbowl. All the details can be found at www.golive.co.za. MIMI has profiles of the twelve semi-finalists who are:

Taryn Du Plooy is 20 years old and comes from Boksburg, Johannesburg. She was the MOTO Face of South Africa Fashion Week 2006. She is studying Fashion design and retail buying at Damelin. In the future she wants to create her own fashion label. If Taryn were Miss South Africa Taryn would place AIDS orphans, lawlessness, road rage, all forms of abuse, and living without a dream under the banner "Absolutely Awful".

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Yolandi Nel is 22 years old and comes from from Cape Town. Yolandi attended Cape Town College where she studied Early Childhood Development for 2 years. She did her practical at Tafelberg crèche and she au paired for a year and half, looking after a one year old girl and two year old boy. As Miss South Africa she would place animal cruelty, child abuse, traffic, racism and crime under the heading "Absolutely Awful".

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Matapa Maila Matapa comes from Polokwane. After matric she studied logistics at Vaal University of Technology. When she graduated she trained at Bosch SA and now works for Sasol Oil as a fuel supply coordinator. She is studying part-time through UNISA for a B.Tech in logistics. She believes the role of Miss South Africa is to represent hope and possibility to all South Africans, to be part of the solution to the problems facing SA and have something to offer and bring to the table. Matapa believes that Miss South Africa represents the beauty, diversity and values of the beautiful people of South Africa.

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Meghan Cronin comes from Krugersdorp and is 21 years old. She attends Monash University and is studying Communications and Media, and majoring in international studies and criminology. She believes Miss South Africa is first and foremost a leader, a woman with drive, initiative and focus; also, Miss South Africa should be able to relate to people from all walks of life and make a difference in people's lives.

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Palesa Masiteng comes from Pretoria and is 24 years old. She attended Technikon Pretoria where she studied Bio-technology but marketing is her true passion and she attended the IMM Graduate School of Marketing. She is currently busy with her marketing degree. She believes Miss South Africa is a diplomat for her country and her duties are to promote SA both locally and internationally. Her role is to positively influence South Africa by becoming a symbol of hope. According to Palesa Miss South Africa needs to be an educator, a mother (figuratively) and an individual that will positively motivate people. Miss SA is a symbol of possibility—a South African that truly reflects what this country has become and what it can still be.

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Raelene Rorke originally comes from Mthatha in the Eastern Cape but now lives in Johannesburg. She won the Miss SA Teen pageant in 2004 and Miss City Press in 2006. Raelene is studying a BComm degree in Industrial Psychology through UNISA. Raelene believes the role of Miss South Africa is to serve, inspire, teach and learn. According to Raelene, Miss South Africa's role is to continue to pave the way for those behind and learn from those that have gone before.

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Tansey Coetzee is 23 years old and comes from Johannesburg. She attended Rand Afrikaans University and completed a BA in Corporate Communication. She believes becoming Miss SA is an opportunity to meet influencial people and change the course of your life. Tansey says that Miss South Africa needs to lead by example and get involved in society as much as possible; she should use her title to make a difference and be a positive respresentative for women. She must make the title work for her.

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Avumile Qongqo is 21 years old and comes from Queenstown. She attends the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and is studying towards a National Diploma in Retail Business Management and Marketing Management.Avumile has had lots of previous pageant experience. She was a Face of Africa finalist in 2001 and in 2005; she was 1st runner up in the Miss South Africa pageant—she is now signed to O Model Africa which is run by 1998 Face of Africa winner Oluchi. If she were crowned Miss South Africa Avumile would place AIDS, poverty, teenage pregnancy, rape, abuse towards men, women and children, under the heading "Absolutely Awful".

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Kerry Hiestermann is 23 and comes from Johannesburg. She is currently studying honours in Brand Management at Vega communications school. Once completed, she will attain a BA Degree in Communications Management specialising in Creative Brand Communications. If she were Miss South Africa she would place: eating disorders, HIV/AIDS, selfishness, women and child abuse and jealousy under the banner "Absolutely Awful".

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Lelanie Botha comes from Roodepoort, Johannesburg. She is 21 years old and attended Camelot International where she completed her International Diploma in Somatology in 2006. She believes the role of Miss South Africa is to represent her country ethically and promote South Africa to the best of her ability. She should be an icon for everyone to look up to and she should inspire women.

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Lisa Van Zyl is from Cape Town and is 21 years old. She is in her final year at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology studying Financial Management. As Miss South AfricaLisa would place ignorance, crime, the crisis in Zimbabwe, poverty and HIV/AIDS under the heading "Absolutely Awful".

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Manisha Pillay is from Musgrave, Kwa Zulu Natal and is 24 years old. She attended the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal where she completed a Bachelor of Science degree. She is currently attending the University of South Africa. She is studying her Honours degree in Industrial Psychology. She would place rape, uneducated youth, third world poverty, un-empowered women, racism and global warming under the heading "Absolutely Awful".

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(Photo Credits: Peter Morey)