Sakhile Dube lands Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2024

Sakhile Dube has been crowned Miss Universe Zimbabwe after several near-misses.

Sakhile emerged victorious over 17 contestants at a glamorous event held in Harare over the weekend.

Her name is well-known in local and regional pageantry circles, having participated in numerous competitions, sometimes winning and other times losing, even securing regional awards.

For the past five years, she has been dedicated to modeling, always aspiring to become the "queen of Zimbabwe" by winning the Miss Universe Zimbabwe title.

Previously, the Bulawayo fashion model had won Miss Tourism Zimbabwe 2020, Miss Earth Zimbabwe 2022, Miss Supranational Africa, and Supra Top Model in 2023.

These titles boosted her confidence and competitive edge, making her no stranger to the international stage. Therefore, it was no surprise when she clinched the title.

While some critics praised the judges for selecting her, they noted that Sakhile would need to improve her question-answering skills.

Sakhile (27) won the grand prize of a Mercedes Benz C200 2020 model, courtesy of Style by Minnie, and a cash prize of US$10,000, which she will share with her princesses.

She now automatically qualifies to represent Zimbabwe at Miss Universe in Mexico in September.

Lawyer and model Lisa Sibanda was named first princess, while Ruvimbo Njomboro was crowned second princess.

Miss Universe Zimbabwe chairperson Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga congratulated the winners and urged them to represent Zimbabwe with pride.

"It was a tight competition and I am happy the judges made their decision. I wouldn't want to be in that seat because every girl here is beautiful. To the winners, I wish you well and please carry the country's flag high and well," she said.

She thanked her team and the corporate sponsors who made the event a success, emphasizing that Zimbabwe has untapped talent that needs support.

In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Sakhile expressed her excitement about winning the grand prize and vowed to bring the crown home.

"I am happy to win this pageant. It is a dream come true.

"I will share the prize money with my princesses, but for my portion, I am going to use it to fund Zibusiso Foundation, which empowers and mentors orphaned children through educational support."

Sakhile, a crowd favorite, was cheered enthusiastically by her fans every time she walked on stage.

The competition was fierce, particularly during the question-and-answer segment, where the judges asked the same question to all three finalists to ensure fairness.

One of the highlights of the show was the culture and traditional wear segment. Sakhile wore an outfit reminiscent of the one US singer Beyoncé wore at the premiere of "The Lion King."

The event was attended by diplomats, celebrities, socialites, designers, and entrepreneurs.

Hosts MisRed and Ruvheneko delivered an exceptional performance, ensuring the program ran smoothly.

Former First Lady Grace Mugabe was among the panel of judges, which also included Miss South Africa 2022 Ndavi Nokeri, Hilda Mabu, Kevin "The Wedding Planner," Taku Mhlanga, and Brita Masalethulini.

This year's show showed marked improvement over last year's edition, though some critics noted there is still room for growth.