After a year of big shifts and much ado about crowns, Qhawekazi Mazaleni was crowned the 67th Miss South Africa at SunBet Arena in Pretoria last night.
The 24-year-old Eastern Cape-born author and speech therapist was among fan favourites on the night.
Mazaleni’s focus during her reign will be on helping young children learn to read and count in their own language.
“The early years are critical for childhood cognitive development. I want to expand the concept of my isiXhosa book by having it translated into all of our 11 official languages. This would not only help all children in South Africa learn and develop optimally, but in the process create job opportunities for publishers, editors, illustrators and book sellers as well.”
Her love for linguistics comes from growing up in a multilingual home which led to her studying speech, language and hearing therapy degree at Stellenbosch University. She is now doing her Masters in speech-language pathology through the University of Pretoria with a focus on autism.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, last year’s titleholder, Mia le Roux, said she hoped the new Miss SA would focus on why she joined the pageant. “It’s very easy to get caught up in people’s expectations or the glitz and glamour. And never let anyone break your ego.”
Mazaleni, whose name means heroine, now lives in Johannesburg.
She is committed to bridging gaps in education and believes winning the crown will allow her to lay the foundation for work that will continue.
She believes beauty pageants are extremely helpful for self-development, personal growth and the ability to create change. They encourage in women a growth mindset that incorporates resilience and tenacity.
“Young women don’t always have role models within their own communities to look up to and see themselves reflected; representation gives them permission to dream.”
Mazaleni’s children’s book teaches children to read and count.
“It’s been so beautiful watching children interacting and learning from the book.”
First runner-up is Luyanda Zuma from KwaZulu-Natal, and Karabo Mareka from Alex in Johannesburg was third.
The Motsepe Foundation’s acquisition of the glamorous event has brought an overhaul that has shifted the makeup of the pageant.
One of the biggest changes this year has been Miss SA titleholders no longer taking part in international competitions. As a result, Miss SA has foregone international requirements, including age, with new contestants ranging from 20-32 (previously 20-30).
The new executive chair for Miss SA, Precious Moloi-Motsepe, spoke about the new focus of the competition.
“The emphasis is no longer on a single face of success, but on collective influence. Each finalist carries a mandate and a responsibility, and impact is now measured across multiple voices, not just one title,” said Moloi-Motsepe.
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