Zuma applauds Miss SA

2010-06-18 19:40

Pretoria - Miss South Africa Nicole Flint was congratulated by President Jacob Zuma on Friday for her passion for bringing education to all children of the country.

"We ended up talking about important issues, national issues. I am so passionate about education and you are so passionate about education," Zuma said to Flint on the steps of the presidential house.

He had invited Flint to be part of the 1Goal Education Campaign to be launched in Cape Town on July 7, he said.

"I'll be there. It's a date," Flint said smiling broadly.

"She must know when showing how beautiful South Africans are from the rainbow nation she has our full support," Zuma said.

Backing Bafana

Flint leaves in August for the Miss Universe pageant, to be held in Las Vegas in the US. After speaking to media briefly Zuma went to shake Flint's hand, but she countered with a hug.

Pointing to the photographers and the male media, Zuma said: "I can tell you those young men, they are very envious of me."

He said he appreciated Flint paying him a visit, adding that few people could say they had stood next to Miss South Africa. The two also touched on the World Cup, saying they fully backed the nation's pride.

"We both agreed that this is one of the best things that has happened to South Africa," said Zuma.

Flint said she was honoured to be "let into" Zuma's home and that the pageant was happening at a time when all the eyes of the world were on SA as the host country.

When asked how he felt about Bafana Bafana's possible departure from the tournament, Zuma said it was important that whichever team lost was a good loser.

"If there are games, there must be a winner and there must be a loser. We as South Africans, we are the host of this tournament. That in itself means we have won the Cup. We have it. It is here.

"I have confidence we are going to show the French," Zuma said, laughing.

- SAPA