MASERU — For many girls around the world, being a beauty queen comes along with big modelling deals from advertising chocolates to cosmetics to clothes to cars.
For Rorisang Motlomelo, being Miss PC FM has come along with a chance to finally see her father — at least she hopes.
The 20-year-old stunner has not seen her father since he left home one Christmas eve to fetch a goat to make merry during the popular holiday.
She was six.
Out of the blue, the father she at one time thought had died phoned her.
He wanted them to meet.
Rorisang thinks this might not have been possible had it not been for the Miss PC FM title that catapulted her from the obscurity of Mohale’s Hoek to national prominence.
“I last saw my dad in 1995,” Rorisang told the Lesotho Times this week.
“He left home on Christmas eve saying he was going to buy us a goat to slaughter.
“That was the last we saw of him.
“But guess what, he phoned me recently and he wants to see me.
“Maybe coming out in the papers has reminded him he has a daughter. I’m glad I’ll be seeing my dad again soon.”
Rorisang on Saturday gives up the title that she said meant so much to her life — the Miss PC FM crown.
“It had become part of me, or I had become part of it,” Rorisang said of the coveted tiara.
“I feel like a baby who is being weaned. The comfort though is that even if the crown is gone I’m still a beauty queen.”
Rorisang said she was happy her reign had come to pass without any controversy.
Her first princess, Limpho Manyanye, fell pregnant and had to surrender her title.
Rorisang refused to comment on that.
But the reign has not been a smooth sail for the quite eloquent Rorisang.
“It’s not been a smooth sail,” she said.
“You have to try to be a person you are not.
“For example, I don’t love make-up, but because I was Miss PC I had to portray someone I’m not.
“I had to look good all the time because I guess the title came with scrutiny of every move I made.”
At home, she had to deal with the misconceptions that usually surround beauty pageants and modelling.
“Back home people didn’t appreciate beauty pageants at first,” Rorisang said.
“If you are a beauty queen they see you as a party animal or loose girl.
“I’m a Christian . . . then with such perceptions I had to try to balance the two. That was difficult.”
But seeing her involved in charity work and many other projects changed how her folks viewed beauty pageants.
“I began to be taken seriously in my family,” Rorisang said.
“Being part of an extended family, I’m no longer seen as a child but I get involved in all family discussions.”
She added: “Being a beauty queen entails trying to change people’s lives in a way, so I thought I should start it within my family.”
Rorisang said the pressures that come with being a beauty queen had strengthened her, especially after she failed to proceed with her BSc General degree at the National University of Lesotho.
She was tipped to be one of the best students — especially after doing well at matric level — but found the going tough at university.
“When I won the crown I realised it was time to take charge of my life,” Rorisang said.
“When I failed at university, some people tried to create controversy by saying I had not done well because of Miss PC.
“But the auditions for the pageant only came long after we had written exams. I had tripped just like anyone else.”
Rorisang has not given up, however.
“I’ll be back at university, but this time at Limkongkwing,” she said.
“Being a beauty queen has in fact strengthened me to take on life’s challenges and I’m determined to take on a software engineering degree as well.”
Rorisang could not be drawn into predicting the winner of Saturday’s pageant, now known as Miss Vodacom PC FM.
The winner will drive away a brand new Chevrolet Spark.
Rorisang didn’t get anything that big, but she said she was satisfied with her prizes which included a scholarship for computer studies.
“Everyone has a unique quality,” she said of Saturday’s 16 contestants.
“Either one has the body, while the other has the brains. Some don’t have experience, while the others do.
“It’s going to be a tough one. Anyone of them could make it.”
After crowning the new queen, Rorisang said she would remain working on some of the projects she had started during her reign.
She is also hoping to get into international pageants that might bring her big modelling deals.
“I’d like to take part in a bigger pageant,” Rorisang said.
“Miss PC is apparently the biggest here, so I would have to try international pageants. Or become the face of a certain brand.”
