A new era begins as Qhawekazi Mazaleni (24) takes the Miss South Africa crown.

Mia le Roux crowned her successor during a glittering ceremony at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria last night.

Luyanda Zuma was named first princess, while Karabo Mareka took the second princess spot.

Mazaleni, from Gonubie in East London, now lives in Sundowner, Randburg.

She holds a degree in speech, language and hearing therapy from Stellenbosch University and is completing her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Pretoria, with a focus on autism.

Fluent in isiXhosa, English and Afrikaans and learning Sepedi and isiZulu, she entered her first beauty pageant at Beaconhurst School in East London, where she was crowned first princess.

She entered Miss SA 2025 because she is committed to bridging gaps in education and believes winning the crown will allow her to lay the foundation for impactful work that extends beyond her reign.

Beauty pageants, she believes, promote self-development, personal growth and the ability to create sustainable change. They also encourage a growth mindset that incorporates resilience and tenacity.

In her profile on Miss SA’s website, she said: “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.”

As the youngest of three girls, Mazaleni says she has always felt safe and protected at home. “My mom worked as a clerk at the Department of Education, and my dad works as a manager at Eskom. My mom is Sotho and my dad is Xhosa, and although we grew up predominantly speaking isiXhosa at home, they shaped my cultural and linguistic curiosity.”

Making a difference in her community is important to her, and she says her biggest contribution has been through her therapeutic work in ‘bridging cultural and linguistic gaps in speech therapy and being informed of our political, economic and social worlds’.

She has written and published a children’s book in isiXhosa that teaches children to read and count, saying: “It’s been so beautiful watching children interacting and learning from the book.” She hopes to see more initiatives that combat South Africa’s rising illiteracy rates.

Mazaleni says South Africa leads the way in shifting global narratives and cultivating innovation. As a country of many cultures, languages and traditions, she believes in the unifying power of storytelling. “Through my initiative for increasing access to books, I hope to find and share stories that celebrate our cultures, languages and traditions and foster a generation with cultural awareness.”

The biggest challenge facing young people today, she says, is a lack of hope. “We see the statistics on crime, poverty and unemployment, and it makes a lot of young people hesitant to dream.”

Mazaleni believes pageantry is about impact. If she could fulfil one wish, she says she would launch workshops for teachers and parents in underserved communities, teaching them how to share resources and create their own.

Her message to young girls and women in South Africa: Dare to dream, know who you are and be relentless in pursuing your purpose.

Who is Mazaleni?

Well, for starters, she:

• Ran her first half-marathon last year
• Crochets her own clothes
• Loves Mpumalanga, her favourite province, because of its natural beauty
• Has a career goal to work on educational policy
• Wants to see the Northern Lights one day
• Left an unfulfilling job at work to find something that better aligned with her values
• Likes that she’s an optimist who sees growth opportunities everywhere
• Would like to take more risks
• Has as her female role models actress and model Gale Mabalane for her authenticity in her purpose; and American actress and singer Keke Palmer, who fearlessly uses her platform as a voice for societal issues while still being herself
• Would lunch with Lauryn Hill to chat about how she balances her passion and purpose with discernment and intent
• Likes trying new recipes in the kitchen.

What were her answers to quick-fire questions?

• Reading: The Alchemist (for the fourth time)
• Listening to: Isitifiketi by Jabulile Majola on repeat
• Favourite TV shows: The Office, Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy
• Favourite meal: Chilli beef stew with steamed bread (amadombolo)
• Guilty pleasure: Chocolate mug cake after a long day
• Idea of perfect happiness: Being surprised with food… the way to her heart
• Greatest fear: Reaching the end of my life and being filled with regret’
• Greatest extravagance: My bed. I’d never owned my own bed, as I shared with my sisters growing up
• Happiest time: Graduating in 2023
• Talent most wanted: To swim in open waters – I learnt to swim in 2023, but open waters make me a little nervous
• Most treasured possession: My journal from 2019 to 2022
• Most valued quality in friends: Mutual honesty, even when it’s difficult
• Motto: It’s only embarrassing if you’re embarrassed. Don’t be afraid to be seen trying.

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