After much controversy surrounding the Miss SA pageant, Mia le Roux was all smiles on Saturday as she was named the winner.
Le Roux was crowned at the SunBet Arena at Time Square in Menlyn, Tshwane.
She is the first Miss SA contestant who is hearing-impaired. The beauty pageant winner uses a cochlear implant and a focus of hers has been raising awareness for the deaf community.
While she has been celebrated for winning the title, some social media users highlighted the backlash former contestant Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina had to endure after her eligibility to represent the nation was questioned, forcing her to withdraw from the pageant. She was born in South Africa, but her father is Nigerian.
Musician Burna Boy, real name Damini Ogulu, trended on social media at the weekend after he posted a picture of Le Roux with the caption: “So after all that ...” with laughing emojis.
Minister of sport, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie took to social media to address the debate: “We don’t have a white Miss South Africa, we do not have a black Springbok captain, nor do we have a coloured Banyana Banyana coach, we see them as South Africans. We have adopted reconciliation as our North Star, guided by our father, Nelson Mandela. You will come around, I did.”
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After much controversy surrounding the Miss SA pageant, Mia le Roux was all smiles on Saturday as she was named the winner.
Le Roux was crowned at the SunBet Arena at Time Square in Menlyn, Tshwane.
She is the first Miss SA contestant who is hearing-impaired. The beauty pageant winner uses a cochlear implant and a focus of hers has been raising awareness for the deaf community.
While she has been celebrated for winning the title, some social media users highlighted the backlash former contestant Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina had to endure after her eligibility to represent the nation was questioned, forcing her to withdraw from the pageant. She was born in South Africa, but her father is Nigerian.
Musician Burna Boy, real name Damini Ogulu, trended on social media at the weekend after he posted a picture of Le Roux with the caption: “So after all that ...” with laughing emojis.
Minister of sport, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie took to social media to address the debate: “We don’t have a white Miss South Africa, we do not have a black Springbok captain, nor do we have a coloured Banyana Banyana coach, we see them as South Africans. We have adopted reconciliation as our North Star, guided by our father, Nelson Mandela. You will come around, I did.”
Deaf SA's Western Cape provincial director Jabaar Mohamed applauded Le Roux.
“There are a lot of changes coming, and the country is becoming more inclusive. I'm very happy for Mia that she has won the Miss SA title,” Mohamed said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika.
“When she was crowned, I felt it wasn't about beauty. Yes, she is beautiful — but she's representing our community and our society. She's showing unity.”
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