Mohalenyane Phakela
BEAUTY queen, Rethabile Tšosane, has replaced Lebakile Mokhohlane as Lesotho’s representative at the Miss World 2016 pageant next month in Washington DC, United States.
The 66th Miss World winner will be crowned on 18 December this year at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
Tšosane will compete with 117 beauties from around the world.
The 21-year-old Mokhohlane was crowned Miss Lesotho 2016 in December last year which automatically gave her the right to represent Lesotho at the 2016 Miss World pageant.
However, she has not been active in her role as Miss Lesotho due to a busy academic schedule at the University of Pretoria in South Africa where she is a final year law student.
Miss Lesotho organiser, Tlali Tlali said Mokhohlane had excused herself on account of her studies.
“Lebakile said she will be writing her final year examinations when the pageant takes place therefore she cannot take part,” Tlali said.
“The Miss World pageant lasts up to a month which means that would greatly affect her studies and she would have been required to take time off to prepare for the contest and this is something she could not do concurrently with her school work.
“It would have been easier if it was a local institution where we would ask them to allow her to sit for the exams afterwards. In this case it is impossible as she is studying in another country and most importantly sitting for her final exams.”
Tlali said they had experienced similar situations before and “that is why we always have runner-ups so that they can take over if push comes to shove”.
He said they had chosen Rethabile as Lebakile’s replacement out of six runners up as the others had been earmarked to compete in other international pageants such as Miss Tourism International and Face of Beauty International.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Tšosane, from Hlotse in Leribe said she felt excited and honoured to represent the country.
“It was at short notice and I have to make a lot of preparations but I am more than ready to fly Lesotho’s flag high by bringing the crown home,” said Tšosane, a second year nursing student at Paray School of Nursing in Thaba Tseka
“I have the best support from my school and family which gives me confidence. I have also studied the ladies I will compete with and realised that their only advantage is coming from more resourceful countries but that will not deter me,” she said.
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