By Seleoe Nonyane
The winners of the Miss and Mr Culture 2023 pageant are still yet to receive their prize money, almost one year since winning the competition on March 11, 2023.
theReporter previously published a s story last year of one of the winners, Thabiso Vuyisile Griffiths, (Mr. Culture 2023) who was crying foul over non-payment of his prize money by the King Moshoeshoe Film Festival director Aubrey Selinyane.
Griffiths, who used to work as a professional model, had indicated that he was in a bad space and needed the money to help him meet his needs as he was unemployed.
Due to stress, he even decided to quit modeling and excuse himself from all activities that required him to be around people.
He had said Selinyane had made a commitment to pay up in six months after their crowning and when the story was published, there was still one more month to go until the six months expired but he was having none of it.
His counterpart, Keketso Jobo, (Miss Culture 2023) had indicated that she did not like the stunt Griffiths pulled on social media about not being paid when the six months were not over.
She argued he could have waited until September to at least rant about his non-payment, saying it was still too early to complain.
Jobo said she was confident that they would receive their money as promised.
Since the story was published five months ago, this paper made a follow-up to see if the champions had received their dues.
Responding to whether payments had been made, Griffiths revealed that he had not yet been paid.
He said he was clueless about why has not got his money, indicating that he heard from other sources that Selinyane had to pay male winners of the 2022 pageant as only female winners got paid.
He noted that the male winners were paid between October and November of 2023.
“I have lost hope of getting the money and I do not know who to cry to for help so that I get my money,” he said.
Jobo also admitted that they have not yet been paid. However, she said she is still optimistic that the money will come.
She said they got an explanation that Selinyane had outstanding debts with previous winners so, he had to pay them first.
“It made sense that he should not jump to us before paying those that came before us,” she indicated.
Selinyane was not available for comment this week as his phone was not reachable. He also did not respond to WhatsApp messages sent to him.
However, in 2022 Selinyane made good on his commitment to pay the three winners of the Miss Culture Lesotho their cash prizes in July of that year.
The Miss Culture 2022 Queen winner received M14 500 at a prize-giving ceremony that was held at the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation offices. First Princess Lithapelo Makhele and second Princess Keneuoe Talanyane received M6000 and M3000, respectively.
