Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner will announce tonight via special message who South Africa's first Playboy Playmate of the Year is.

While Hefner will not be present in the flesh, this will be the first time in years the founder gets involved in a foreign edition's Playmate of the Year selection.

The lucky lady selected as Playmate of the Year will win prizes that include a R50 000 pendant with black and white diamonds and a trip to the Playboy mansion in Los Angeles.

Playboy South Africa editor-in-chief Charl du Plessis says the magazine's circulation has grown 30% in the past two months, with new digital subscriptions the highest seller.

"We have turned the corner from a tough first year and we see the conversation changing away from the boring nudity-or-not towards one of how to get brands involved in this passionate and happy man-space," says Du Plessis in a statement.

"It is becoming pretty hard to ignore Playboy," he says.

The VIP event will be held in Johannesburg and will be followed by another event open to the public on Saturday.