Mpumalanga’s Reinette Potgieter, first to fall: Miss SA top 16 elimination shakes up Crown Chasers | Life

Reinette Potgieter. (Supplied/SJ van Zyl)

• Reinette Potgieter, a top 16 contestant in the Miss South Africa series Crown Chasers, was the first to be eliminated in a recent episode.
• During the contest, she had to deal with different difficulties, like cooking and dancing.
• Potgieter said she is thankful for the life-changing experience and the chance to fulfil her childhood dream in a big way, and she’s excited to go back to teaching.

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Top 16 contestant Reinette Potgieter of Mpumalanga is the first to receive the boot in the latest episode of Crown Chasers, the behind-the-scenes Miss South Africa competition series on S3 (DStv 193). 

“When I was eliminated, I broke down in tears. Nonetheless, I am extremely proud of how I carried myself and pushed through to the end. When you want something so badly, you’ll do anything to get to the end, no matter what,” she said.  

Resident judges Lerato Kganyago and Leandie du Randt were joined by Black Entertainment Television (BET) award-winning musician Makhadzi, who evaluated the performances.   

The competition officially started for the top 16, celebrating the beauty of their heritage and their pride in being South African. They faced a cooking task that required teamwork and a fun dance challenge where the girls showed off their energy and enthusiasm on the dance floor.  The overall winner was Nompumelelo Maduna. 

READ | One of these women will be crowned Miss SA 2024: Meet the Top 16

Potgieter admitted, “I was sad to be sent home so early in the competition.” She said the competition forced her to step outside her comfort zone and cited the TV commercial challenge as something she had never done before.  

Potgieter said that her experience in the Miss South Africa competition exceeded her expectations and was an enriching trip. 

“To have had the opportunity to be part of a legacy celebrating women’s empowerment and excellence has been a true honour. Seeing myself on that stage, living my childhood dream, has been a surreal experience”, she said.   

The 26-year-old added that the Miss SA competition has aligned with her values and inspired her to pursue and embrace her individuality and passions. 

“Through self-discovery and challenges, I’ve grown exponentially, and I’m forever grateful for this transformative experience”, she said.  

Potgieter’s best moments in the competition were making new friends with other competitors and realising how strong and resilient she was.    

The challenges she experienced in the competition were emotional, mental and physical.  The competition presented a new area of improvement for her: the social media challenges. 

“I found the social media challenges quite difficult as I’m not well-versed in creating engaging content”, she said. Potgieter looks forward to returning to teaching and seeing all her supporters on the journey. 

“This experience has helped me figure out what I want to achieve and has brought me one step closer to my goals”, she said. 

She is excited to continue her self-development and take on more challenges that come her way. “You’ll see more of me in the future, and I can’t wait to share my progress and successes. This is only the beginning of bigger and better things to come”, she said.

Award-winning journalist turned Editor-in-Chief of Glamour South Africa, Nontando Mposo, will be the guest judge on the third episode of Crown Chasers this Saturday.

In the episode, the remaining contestants will embrace their journey as a ‘Worth In Progress’. Celebrating natural beauty and self-worth, the Top 15 prepare for a fun mini challenge with L’Oréal Paris, testing their hair, makeup, and skincare skills. They will deliver an inspiring TED talk and showcase their natural beauty in another photoshoot challenge.

Crown Chasers airs Saturdays at 20:30 on S3 (DStv 193), with repeats on Sundays at 13:00.

SEE | SA’s Bryoni Govender bags ‘outstanding’ top 12 finish at Miss Supranational as Indonesia wins