Models left stranded at Miss Cultural Miss Cultural Zimbabwe Zandile Ncube (seated), First Princess Amanda Nyoni (second from left), Second Princess Anita Kubie (right) and Miss Personality Sithembiso Sibanda after the crowning ceremony
Miss Cultural Zimbabwe Zandile Ncube (seated), First Princess Amanda Nyoni (second from left), Second Princess Anita Kubie (right) and Miss Personality Sithembiso Sibanda after the crowning ceremony

Miss Cultural Zimbabwe Zandile Ncube (seated), First Princess Amanda Nyoni (second from left), Second Princess Anita Kubie (right) and Miss Personality Sithembiso Sibanda after the crowning ceremony

Vongai Mbara Arts Reporter
Models were left stranded over the weekend at the Miss Cultural beauty pageant held in Bulawayo after the organiser disappeared without paying them.

Nilton Makazhu, who is also the founder of Iconic Model Management, failed to pay the prize money of $600 in total which he had promised the winners. This reporter was at the scene when angry models demanded their money with Makazhu saying it was still being worked out backstage.

Originally, Miss Cultural was supposed to get $300 while the first and second princesses would get $200 and $100 respectively. However, things took another turn when the event failed to attract a full house. “This show was poorly marketed, so he did not get much from ticket sales. He wanted to rely on ticket sales to pay us, but it is just insane for him to run a pageant without the prize money for the winners. We worked really hard, all for nothing,” said one of the winning models.

Zandile Ncube was crowned Miss Cultural while Amanda Noni and Anita Kubie was voted second princess. Soon after her crowning, Zandile was shedding tears of joy and said she was going to use some of the money to get a driver’s license but her wish might not come true anytime soon.

The models were desperate that they ended up asking Makazhu to just give them transport money to go home but their efforts were in vain. Some of the models opened up to this reporter saying they had slept without eating at the camp and some slept on the floor because he had booked a small accommodation for the 19 contestants. “We paid $10 for registration which Makazhu said would cover accommodation, food and a certificate of participation. To our surprise, when we got there we slept without eating and when we asked him, he said he thought we had eaten at our homes,” said one of the models.

“It is because of people like him that modelling is looked down upon. They take it as an opportunity to exploit young girls who are trying to make something out of themselves,” said an angry Amanda who came second in the competition.

Soon after the pageant Makazhu said he was calculating the prize money from gate-takings. “I am organising something for them. If we don’t make it today I will send their money via Ecocash. Everything will be sorted out by tomorrow (Saturday),” he said.

However, by yesterday the models were saying he had shifted goal posts, promising to pay them on Wednesday. His mobile phone was not reachable yesterday.

You Might Also Like

Comments