Johannesburg - Polls on social media have shown that Miss South Africa Ndavi Nokeri is one of the front-runners at this year’s illustrious Miss Universe pageant.
The finale of the international beauty pageant is set to be held at New Orleans Morial Convention Centre in Louisiana in the US on Sunday evening, Central African Time (CAT).
And online sites including Philstar.com, Missology and Miss Universe Predictions have the reigning South African queen as one of the front-runners and she is a hot favourite with Miss Universe fans and followers.
Nokeri arrived in New Orleans last week after spending an exciting few days in New York.
“It has been wonderful meeting my fellow contestants face-to-face and getting to know them.
“My preparations are on track and I’m working hard. Zozi (Tunzi) has given me advice that I have taken to heart – to be confident and to be my authentic self.
“I also appreciate the wonderful support from all South Africans – I will be flying the flag high when I walk onto the Miss Universe stage and I am determined to give it my all, just as I did when I entered the Miss South Africa pageant,” she posted on social media.
Nokeri has a proudly South African support team in the US cheering her on, including Miss South Africa Organisation CEO Stephanie Weil, creative director Werner Wessels and her parents Moses and Betty Nokeri.
The Miss Universe ceremony is set to be broadcast live on 1 Magic (DStv Channel 103) from 03h00 on Monday, January 15 and repeated in a prime time slot which will be announced soon.
This will be the 71st edition of the pageant where Harnaaz Sandhu of India will crown her successor at the end of the event.
South Africans have had resounding success at the pageant with Zozibini Tunzi crowned Miss Universe in 2019, Demi-Leigh Tebow was the titleholder in 2017.
Meanwhile, another former Miss SA Lalela Mswane was crowned Miss Supranational last year and Rolene Strauss was crowned Miss World back in 2014.
Mswane was also the Miss Universe second runner-up last year while another former Miss SA Tamaryn Green-Nxumalo was the first runner up in 2018.
As the Miss Universe ceremony approaches, the current build-up to the finale is preparation time as the contestants are taken through their paces and there are a number of events that entrants have to participate in.
One of these was the Muba Cosmetics shoot, and according to the Miss Universe official news outlet, Pageant Circle, Miss South Africa was one of five contestants chosen to do a special shoot for the official make-up sponsor.
Gloriously bronzed photographs of Nokeri appear alongside contestants Evlin Khalifa from Bahrain, Celeste Cortesi representing Philippines, Anna Sueangam-iam from Thailand and Alicia Faubel representing Spain.
Miss South Africa is presented by Weil Entertainment in association with M-Net, Mzansi Magic and Sun International.