Two young women from Gauteng province were the runners-up in the contest.

A final-year high school student, Yajna Maharaj, 18, was the second princess and journalism student Ayushi Chhabra, 18, was the first princess.

In the earlier Gauteng provincial round of the contest, India-born Chhabra, who has been in South Africa for the past six years with her parents, was named the winner by the judges who joined the audience in lauding her Punjabi dancing and attire.

Chhabra dismissed later concerns by other contestants that she had an unfair advantage over the Indian cultural elements of the Miss India contest because of her childhood spent in India. 'If a South African were to participate in a similar contest in India, she would have the same challenges that I have had here.'