ZIMSPHERE
Mia Le Roux, a 28-year-old marketing manager and model, has been crowned Miss South Africa 2024, making history as the first hearing-impaired winner of the prestigious title.
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| Image: Facebook/Miss South Africa |
The event, held at the SunBet Arena in Times Square, Pretoria, was a dazzling affair, hosted by media mogul Bonang Matheba.
Le Roux, who uses cochlear implants, expressed gratitude for her community's support in her journey to hearing, inspiring her mission to break barriers and foster positive change.
"I feel so privileged and grateful that South Africa chose me. I'm grateful that the organisation chose someone like me and saw something in me. They gave me this chance and here I am," Le Roux said.
Born in Sasolburg and raised in Oudtshoorn, she currently resides in Rosebank, Cape Town, balancing her career and studies in marketing.
The judging panel featured notable personalities, including former Miss South Africa Jo-Ann Strauss, actress Leandie du Randt, Miss World Rolene Strauss, radio personality Lerato Kganyago, and actress Thembi Seete.
Miss South Africa 2023 Natasha Joubert passed the crown to Le Roux, marking the transition.
Le Roux's victory follows a controversy involving finalist Chiddima Adetshina, who withdrew from the competition amid identity-related allegations.
The 23-year-old law student, born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, faced intense scrutiny over her eligibility, eventually forcing her to quit.
The Home Affairs ministry launched an investigation at the request of pageant organizers, with Adetshina and her mother providing consent.
Adetshina announced her withdrawal in an Instagram post on Thursday, citing the safety and well-being of her family as her primary concern.
"I would like to start off by thanking everyone who has stood beside me right from the start of my Miss South Africa journey. I'm really grateful for all the love and support I have been shown," she said in the post.
"Being part of the Miss South Africa 2024 competition has been an amazing journey however, after much careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw myself from the competition for the safety and well-being of my family and I.
"With the support of the Miss South Africa Organisation, I leave with a heart full of gratitude for this amazing experience.
"I would like to take this opportunity to wish my fellow finalists all of the best for the remainder of the competition. Whoever wears the crown represents us all," she added.
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