Basetsana Kumalo

Basetsana Kumalo born Basetsana Makgalemele often referred to simply as Bassie, is a South African television personality, beauty pageant titleholder, businesswoman, and philanthropist.

Her career began in 1990 when she was crowned as "Miss Soweto" and "Miss Black South Africa" at  the age of 16.

She was crowned Miss South Africa in 1994 and the same year became the first runner-up in Miss World.

Basetsana "Bassie" Kumalo was born on March 29, 1974 in Soweto, South Africa to Philip Makgalemele, a bus driver who died in 2003 and Beatrice Makgalemele, a school teacher who died in 2006. She has two sisters and one brother.

Basetsana Kumalo is married to Romeo Kumalo former broadcaster and now Vodacom executive. The couple have two sons; Nkosinathi Gabriel Kumalo, born in 2005 and uShaka Kgositsile Emmanuel Kumalo, born in May 2012.

Basetsana Kumalo and her husband have launched the Romeo and Basetsana Kumalo Family Foundation, which will develop children, specifically those orphaned by AIDS and other related diseases.

Basetsana Kumalo and her husband Romeo Kumalo

Basetsana Kumalo and her husband Romeo Kumalo

Basetsana Kumalo (left), Zama Kodwa (center) and Basetsana Kumalo's sis Johanna Makgalemele Mukoki 

Basetsana Kumalo (right) and her sis Johanna Makgalemele Mukoki (left)

Basetsana Kumalo (right) and her sis Johanna Makgalemele Mukoki (left)

From Left to right: Basetsana's sis Johanna Makgalemele Mukoki, Basetsana Kumalo, Risuna Mayimela and Monetho Molefe

Basetsana "Bassie" Kumalo with President Jacob Zuma

Basetsana "Bassie" Kumalo (left) and Sophie Ndaba (right)

Basetsana Kumalo (center) with Nicky van der Walt (left) and Paul Ekon (right)

Basetsana Kumalo (left) with Peggy Sue Kumalo (right)

Basetsana Kumalo (right) and Josina Machel, daughter of Graca Machel (left)

Basetsane Makgalemele (now Basetsane Kumalo)  (left) with Miss India and Miss World 1994 Aishwarya Rai (center) and Miss Venezuela Irene Izquierdo (right) in 1994

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