Vedra Karamitas biography: 13 things about Miss World South Africa 1964

Who was Vedra Karamitas?

Vedra Karamitas was a Greek-South African ballet teacher and beauty queen. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. She was born and raised in Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa.
2. She taught deportment at St. Roses Convent in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
3. She is the first Miss South Africa of Greek descent.
4. She is the first Miss World South Africa to pass away.
5. She is the ninth beauty queen to represent South Africa in Miss World.
6. She is the 11th Miss South Africa.
7. She won Miss South Africa 1964 while working as a ballet teacher in Benoni, Gauteng.
8. On November 3, 1964, she arrived in London, England, United Kingdom with walking sticks and told the Miss World organizers that she had spinal problems.
9. On November 12, 1964, she represented South Africa at Miss World 1964 and competed against 41 other candidates at the Lyceum Ballroom in London. She was unplaced.
10. On November 13, 1964, a warrant for her arrest was authorized in the magistrate’s court in Johannesburg. She failed to appear in court to answer a summons for a parking offense.
11. Cornel Wilde initially cast her in his film “The Naked Prey” but in the first weeks of production, he cut her role entirely. Shot in Sibasa, Limpopo, the film was released in the United States on March 23, 1966.
12. On January 1, 1970, she turned 28.
13. On June 1, 1970, she took her own life.