It promised to be a scintillating event — the fabulous and the moneyed converging on historic Turffontein racecourse for Gauteng’s biggest horse race.
But even though the organisers of this year’s Summer Cup pulled out all the stops — landing a R2m purse for the main race thanks to sponsor World Sports Betting and only allowing fully vaccinated patrons onto the track — they didn’t bet on Mother Nature raining on their parade.
Last Saturday afternoon I arrived at the track, in Joburg’s southern suburbs, to the news that the day has been cancelled on account of bad weather.
Opening up my umbrella, I nonetheless make my way up to the Aquanaut Room on the third floor, where racing operator 4Racing is hosting its VIP clients.
Truth be told, I am interested not so much in the horses as I am in spotting Mary Slack, the daughter of late mining magnate Harry Oppenheimer, who, along with funding political parties and the Solidarity Fund, has a thing for thoroughbreds.
In fact, Mary and her daughters’ largesse has extended to rescuing the local racing industry, helping to fund 4Racing, which took over many of the licences after the recent collapse of Phumelela Gaming.
No sight of the inherited-mining-moneyed set though — instead I am greeted by the new golden girl of local racing, Fundi Sithebe, who left Airports Company SA to take up the reins at 4Racing.
Fundi, wearing a gold lace and ombre feathered cocktail number (cheeky disclosure: I designed her dress), quips: “It’s the Summer Cup in winter” as she points to the washed-out track in front of us.
The qualified pilot, who finished off her outfit with sensible sneakers, introduces me to two jockeys who had changed out of their silks into suits.
That’s three-times Summer Cup winner Gavin Lerena and Soweto-raised Kabelo Matsunyane, who earlier this year turned professional.
Meanwhile, in the room, guests like Jonathan Bloomberg of online gambling company Betway take the race postponement to Tuesday as an opportunity to catch up.
I compliment Keabetswe Ntuli, who heads up the Joburg regional office of Sanlam Private Wealth, for her black ensemble with Ndebele detail, and meet Mabutho Zwane (CEO of the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board) and his glam wife Nonkululeko.
From a lack of fillies on the track and on to ladies competing to follow in the footsteps of Basetsana Kumalo, Doris Msibi and Lerato Kganyago in wearing the Miss Soweto sash.
Navigating waterlogged roads, myself and lensman Alon Skuy make our way to the Soweto Theatre in SA's largest township, where the pageant is being held.
The last time I found myself at the Jabulani landmark happened to be the last time I’d attended a fully fledged event, back in March last year before we went into our first lockdown.
With the news of the new variant only days old, I tighten my mask with trepidation as I step out, thankful that most of the pre-awards socialising was held outside.
First person I meet is Mirriam Ngomani, the leggy veteran model who is responsible for making sure the contestants confidently strut their stuff on stage.
“I’ve been doing this for 13 years now. Breaking their legs, so they are able to stretch, elongate and do the proper catwalk,” says the woman once dubbed SA’s Naomi Campbell.
Next, I say hello to Bridget Masinga, the radio broadcaster who is pretty in pink, and meet Colin Sithole, the son of founder Leonard, who took over the running of the pageant in 2013.
Turns out Colin, the second-to-last-born in the family, was born six months after his dad started Miss Soweto 43 years ago.
I also meet the reigning queen, Thobile Steyn, who counts her mom Thabile as her guiding light — and who has a tattoo of an infinity sign and a heart on the left side of her chest in honour of her grandmother.
On to connecting with Thobile’s first princess, Anathi Conjwa, who Idols viewers will know better as Ithana, the contestant who shocked the public when she decided to bow out of the competition in September this year.
Ithana admits to me that she made the difficult decision to hang up her mic after having a mental breakdown.
“You have to make a decision between choosing your health and choosing your dreams,” says the artist, who performed on the evening — and who tells me we can expect an album from her next year.
No sight, though, of SABC3 breakfast host Thabiso Makhubela, who was one of the pageant’s co-hosts (I hear he only pitched minutes before the show started).
And as for the winners?
Ludina Ngwenya was crowned Miss Soweto 2021, and on Tuesday outsider Flying Carpet took the Summer Cup trophy.
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