MR. GAY SA DURBAN WINNER ANNOUNCED

Part time model Jared Smit has taken the Mr. Gay South Africa competition Central Region Final title at a pageant held in Durban on Saturday.

The 21 year old, who is also a rental consultant and co-owner of a model agency, won prizes in excess of R 20,000. He lists his hobbies as gym, modelling, watching movies and spending time with friends and his dogs.

First runner-up was Prince Mkhize while second runner-up was Conraad Jonas, who also won the Mr. Personality award. Both Smit and Mkhize qualified for the finals of Mr. Gay South Africa 2010 to be held on 26 November in Johannesburg.

“We are delighted with the standard of the competitors,” said Coenie Kukkuk, Mr. Gay SA’s Director of Operations.

The event took place at the Durban View Guest House and was hosted by Dave McNaught, local attorney and co-owner of the guesthouse, with his partner Llewellyn Anderson.

Guests included Nonhlanhla Mkhize and Anthony Waldhausen from the Pietermaritzburg Gay & Lesbian Network and the reigning Miss Gay KZN. Kukkuk acted as MC of the event while singer Nelson Clemente from Australia entertained the crowd.

Fashion designer Kevin Ellis, Mr. Gay South Africa 2009 finalist Gavin Deale from Ballito and Sxolile Dleko, a local activist from Durban, were tasked with judging the pageant.

The next stop in the Mr. Gay South Africa 2010 road show will be Cape Town, where the South Regional Final will take place on Saturday, 7 August at the Glen boutique hotel.