The 10th annual Mr Gay World South Africa pageant kicked off with the announcement of the top 14 finalists at the weekend, and three Capetonians have made the cut.
Contestants had to apply online in September and went through a vetting process.
The producer for the event, Antonie Pieterse, says one of the major aims of the competition is to highlight, create awareness and bring about change for the LGBTIQ+ community.
He says the competition is less about looks and more about choosing worthy ambassadors.
“Judges had the opportunity to view all applications. They then judged, rated and submitted their final results to the directors and auditors,” says Antonie.
“We decided to settle on a Top 14 as we wanted to present South Africa with a diverse group to choose from.
“The process of initial selection is not based on a set of criteria, although one of the major factors is to see what form of assistance the finalists provide to LGBTIQ+ initiatives and charities.
“A major part of winning the event will be based on their ability to contribute and uplift the LGBTIQ+ community.”
The winner will be representing South Africa at the Mr Gay World competition.
The host nation and date are yet to be announced.
The Cape Town finalists are Riaan Phillips, 36, from Durbanville, Shearidan-Jon Rabsch, 28, of Kenilworth, and Dencil Hatting, 39, of Atlantis.
Dencil, a teacher and radio host in Atlantis, says he is ecstatic to have made the Top 14.
“I read about this competition last year and decided I was going to work hard to win it. When I found out I was a finalist, I was shouting and screaming,” he says.
“The Mr Gay World SA is a platform for the voiceless. It’s not about being someone but doing something.”
He recently launched a new campaign, called “Ways of Change”, focusing on same sex marriage, adoption, basic human rights and alleviating the stigma of HIV and Aids.
The winner of the competition will be announced on 31 January 2020 at a gala event in Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth.