Nthatuoa Koeshe
A SOUTH Africa trade union, Academic and Professional Staff Association (APSA), is set to sponsor Miss Lesotho 2019 Palesa Makara’s trip to this year’s edition of Durban July.
APSA cooperates and has membership in the higher education and has in the past worked with the Miss Lesotho pageant for several years.
During the Miss Lesotho 2019 event which was held on the 2nd of March 2019 at a Maseru hotel, APSA’s secretary general and president were part of the judges’ panel and it was then that they committed to sponsoring whoever was to be crowned Miss Lesotho.
APSA secretary general Professor Boitumelo Ben Senokoane, said the sponsorship will include payment for three nights at a hotel, transport to and from the event, VIP tickets and other requirements that she may have.
“We have community programmes that we sponsor but mostly student’s organisations in higher education hence APSA made this commitment to sponsor whoever became Miss Lesotho,” Senokoane said.
He said Lesotho is unique as a country and must be appreciated as such. He added that the country has its own unique contribution in the modelling industry and so South African companies should also contribute into the growth of Lesotho modelling.
He further said they would also pay for Palesa’s plane tickets to the Miss World contest which will be hosted in Pattaya, in Thailand on yet to be confirmed dates.
Palesa was crowned Miss Lesotho 2019 at the Avani Maseru Hotel on Saturday night of 2nd March 2019.
The grand finale of Miss Lesotho 2019 was hosted by Mojabeng Senekal-Ndebele and Bofihla ‘Hlabauje’ Neko where 12 beauties competed for the beauty title.
Palesa said everything that is happening in her life after being crowned Miss Lesotho 2019 has made her feel blessed as this was her first attempt to compete in a pageant of that magnitude.
“I feel favoured by God, it is such a great exposure and I’m grateful,” Palesa said.
