Court setback for Nel-Roberts

MRS South Africa 2020 finalist, Chandré Goosen-Joubert, said her advocacy will always be for charity after the Western Cape High Court awarded her access to financial records of NPO, Women4Women (W4W).

Goosen-Joubert said she was elated the court ruled in her favour after she had, through a Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) application in terms of the NPO Act, demanded the right to financial documents for 2019, 2020, and 2021, that she had requested and initially been denied by W4W.

She said: “I am very happy for the fact that during my reign in Mrs SA, I had women approaching me and talking to me about how they felt silenced around issues and I was being their voice. I am very much for women empowerment and will always use my voice for this. When I had entered, it was not advertised as a pageant, it was advertised as a women empowerment programme and I wanted to advocate for women and children in SA through such a programme.”

Goosen-Joubert had raised nearly R150 000 for a gala dinner held at Muldersdrift which was paid into W4W’s FNB Account.

On failing to win the title of Mrs South

Africa, Goosen-Joubert was awarded the “Mrs Charity” title, which meant she would be affiliated to Mrs SA and W4W, and would be expected to raise even more funds – while being responsible for any costs she incurred in the role, such as transportation and accommodation.

Unhappy with the arrangement, she decided not to accept the title.

Goosen-Joubert denied allegations of a smear campaign against W4W founder, Cindy Nel-Roberts.

“The cause was to raise money for charity for women and children but instead it went to a luxury lifestyle which funded her child’s birthday party, schools fees, Uber transactions and Nel’s car insurance. Nel has since said that I am doing this because I want to be famous.

“I’m sorry, but if somebody fights like that, then they should stick to heels and make up. If you’re a South African role model and that’s how you deflect, then that’s a big concern. Nel confirmed the money was used but she had put it back. This means if I never went for her, she would never have put it back. This is an unethical situation,” said Goosen-Joubert.

According to court documents, transactions from the W4W account included an unexplained R250 000 transfer, a number of payments for gym membership and private trainer at a private Durbanville gym, Facebook game payments, school fees and an R8000 payment for a birthday party.

In her judgment, high court Judge Babalwa Mantame said Goosen-Joubert had made out a proper case for the documents she requested and the contention by Nel-Roberts that the information sought was for ulterior motives in a “smear campaign” was “irrelevant to the information requested”.

W4W did not respond to questions by deadline.