Cape’s young queens rule
Cape Flats beauty queens
Two young Cape Flats beauty queens have scooped kwaai titles at the inaugural South African Children of the Year Awards in Johannesburg.
Keegan “Apple” Croy, 13, from Hanover Park and Shumeez Scott, 21, from Mitchells Plain each won awards within their individual categories.
Down Syndrome activist and model Shumeez won four awards, namely the Supreme Overall Winner in the 19+ category; SA Children Youth Awards: Charity Contribution Award winner; People’s Choice for November 2020, and People’s Choice for December 2020.
Shumeez was the only contestant with special needs who went up against able bodied entrants and came out tops in all her categories.
Yolanda Petersen from Cape Town was the MC at the event and also accompanied Shumeez who took her first flight without her mother, Bahiyya.
Keegan, who currently holds an astonishing 54 pageant titles, was named the 2020 South African Child of the Year.
Organiser Brenda Mamputa said: “Apple was selected based on her charity she does in her community in Hanover Park and Cape Town and she deserves to be recognised internationally, she is inspirational and shouldn't be looked at based on her circumstances.”
An overwhelmed Keegan tells the Daily Voice: “Where you come from does not define who you can be.
“I am extremely humbled and honoured for being part of the first ever South Africa Children Awards and also being chosen as a winner.”
Apple wasn't able to attend the award ceremony in Jozi and was alerted via text the moment she had won.
Her ouma Daphne Croy says: “As a grandmother, I am immensely proud of Apple. She has grown up to be more than what I could have imagined - strong, fearless, determined and a beautiful go-getter activist.”
The Grade 8 Mount View High School pupil is the reigning Miss Teen Western Cape.
She is currently busy with a projects collecting and distributing toiletries to vulnerable youngsters.
In 2019, Shumeez was named as the winner of the first-ever Magnificent Women Icon (MWI) Phenomenal International Pageant for Special Needs People in Gambia.
She has founded a foundation to support people with special needs, and is part of the Red Cross Hospital Charity Drive.
Brenda says Shumeez and Keegan were nominated and the public could vote for their favourites.
“We had over 500 nominees on record and then we shortlisted it to 40 by looking at their social media and following up with those nominees who don't post their deeds on social media.”