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.

A citizen of the U.K. and Rhodesia, Helga Vera Johns was not allowed to compete at Miss World 1972 as Miss Rhodesia due to her Rhodesian nationality. She was not allowed to compete at Miss World 1975 as Miss South Africa because she was not a resident of South Africa for at least five years.

Miss South Africa 1975 first runner-up Crystal Cooper went to the U.K. but her father would not allow her to compete at Miss World 1975 after finding out that Johns would not be officially dethroned. Ultimately, it was Miss South Africa 1975 second runner-up Rhoda Rademeyer who represented South Africa at Miss World 1975.

• beauty pageant: Miss South Africa
• edition: 20th
• venue: Civic Theatre, Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, South Africa
• date: August 23, 1975
• finalists: 8

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FINALISTS

1. Annette Klopper
2. Crystal Cooper
3. Helga Vera Johns
4. Joleen le Roux
5. Mandy Moolman
6. Mariaan Mouton
7. Rhoda Rademeyer
8. Sharon Barker

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WINNERS

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

• beauty pageant: Miss World
• edition: 25th
• venue: Royal Albert Hall, London, England, United Kingdom
• date: November 20, 1975
• candidates: 67

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