South African Pictorial held Miss South Africa in 1923, which was won by Doris Gwendoline Heliwell with W. J. van Blommestein and Marjorie Elizabeth Cowley as the respective first and second princesses. In 1943, Susie Smuts became the second woman to hold the title.

However, it was Norma Vorster who won the first official Miss South Africa competition in 1956. It was open to white females only.

In 1970, South Africa started sending two candidates to Miss World, a black woman called Miss Africa South and a white woman called Miss South Africa. South African clothing company owner Harry Solarsh sponsored Miss Africa South.

As Miss Africa South 1970, Pearl Gladys Jansen became the first black woman to represent South Africa in Miss World. She was runner-up to Miss World 1970 Jennifer Hosten of Grenada.

Representing South Africa, Anneline Kriel was runner-up to Miss World 1974 Helen Morgan of the United Kingdom. Four days after her coronation, Morgan officially resigned and Kriel took over.

• beauty pageant: Miss South Africa
• edition: 19th
• venue: Ster 1000, Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, South Africa
• date: August 24, 1974
• finalists: 7

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FINALISTS

1. Anita Michas (Eastern Province)
2. Anneline Kriel (Northern Transvaal)
3. Janet Pitzner (South West Africa)
4. Lorraine de Jager (Western Province)
5. Renette Snyman (Orange Free State)
6. Roza Lamont (Southern Transvaal)
7. Ruanne Louw (Natal Province)

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WINNERS

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

• beauty pageant: Miss World
• edition: 24th
• venue: Royal Albert Hall, London, England, United Kingdom
• date: November 22, 1974
• candidates: 58

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