After the numerous bullying allegations made against her, Miss SA 2023 Top 12 finalist Levern José has withdrawn from the national pageant competition.
The withdrawal comes after people on Twitter shared their stories of Levern, who was accused of bullying schoolmates in high school.
When news of the bullying came to light, the Miss SA Organisation and its CEO, Stephanie Weilhad had “no comment” when asked about the situation by News24.
The organisation has now released a statement on Levern’s departure.
The statement reads, “Miss South Africa Top 12 finalist Levern José has made the decision to withdraw from the 2023 Miss South Africa pageant in light of the baseless bullying allegations and attacks she has faced in the past week on social media.”
Levern adds to the statement, “As a survivor of bullying I learned how to protect myself from bullying during my school years. If my actions in protecting myself caused harm to anyone, I offer my sincere apologies. The pain of being a target has left an indelible mark on my heart, and I would never intentionally cause hurt or contribute to someone else’s suffering.”
She then says that kindness, respect and empathy have always been her guiding principles and she has unwaveringly worked to adhere to the above values. “It deeply troubles me that such grave accusations could be levelled against me. While I firmly believe in my own accountability and responsibility, I also hold steadfastly to the principles of fairness and justice.”
“All forms of abuse and bullying are unacceptable and have no place in our society. Please know that I am determined to work against bullying and bring about wider awareness about this issue. I am unwavering in my stance on upholding what is right and just. I am human; the pressure has been immense and has taken its toll on me.”
“Together, let us strive for fairness and compassion in all our interactions with others,” she concludes.
The statement also shares that Levern has been supported by the organisation’s mental health partner, the South African Depression And Anxiety Group (SADAG) who have provided counselling to her.
Says the Miss South Africa Organisation: ‘The Miss South Africa Organisation does not condone bullying of any kind. We accept Levern’s decision to pull out of the competition and respect her for owning her truth and taking this time to focus on her own healing, concludes the statement.”
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