Social media reacts to Shudufhadzo Musida's 'game changing' Miss SA win

Moments after the glittering Miss SA crown was placed on Shudufhadzo Musida's head, messages congratulating Mzansi's new queen began to flood social media feeds.

The 24-year-old from Ha-Masia in Limpopo beat out the nine other finalists to claim the sought-after title on Saturday when the pageant's grand finale took place at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town.

As Musida was also the winner of this year's controversial public vote — whereby people were invited to pay to vote their fave contestant into the top 10 — it's not surprising that many South Africans seemed thrilled with the judge's decision to award her the crown:

Given Musida's choice of hairstyle comparisons between the shaven-haired Venda beauty and natural hair champion Zozibini Tunzi were inevitably pointed out on social media.

After all, the latter shattered beauty stereotypes when she won the 2019 Miss SA pageant, and later Miss Universe, while sporting her signature fade, and now Musida is following suit.

Interestingly, Musida says that it was Tunzi who first inspired her to enter the pageant. She adds that admires Miss Universe's “grace and her ability to make a statement without straining her voice”.

Musida gratefully acknowledge all those who had supported her on her journey to claim the crown in her Miss SA acceptance speech, saying “It took an entire village to get me here and I would like to thank all of you for being my village.

"I stand here ... with immense pride and joy to be representing such a beautiful nation — one of the first Venda women, but certainly not the last, to become Miss SA”.