South African model withdraws from beauty pageant over racist tweets
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – A beauty queen’s dream of being selected as Miss South Africa have been shattered after her racist social media posts surfaced.
Johannesburg model Bianca Schoombee on Wednesday confirmed that she has withdrawn from the prestigious competition after it emerged that she sent racist tweets in 2014 when she was a teenager.
The 21-year-old has apologised and deleted or deactivated her Twitter account.
Miss South Africa CEO Stephanie Weil issued a statement saying the organisation's rules state that any semi-finalist or finalist may not have been involved in any unsavoury or unethical incidents or conduct that may bring the organisers or the Miss South Africa pageant into disrepute.
“Unsavoury or unethical conduct includes, but is not limited to, bribery, racism, sexism, slander or libel,” she added.
The incident marks the latest in a series of high-profile social media race scandals.
These includes a Johannesburg businessman who made headlines around the world when he recorded himself making racist comments while on a beach in Europe.
Adam Catzavelos took a “selfie” clip of himself expressing delight that there were no black people around.
He was convicted of crimen injuria after pleading guilty.
-0- PANA CU/AR 20May2020
