In a celebration of intellect and purpose, 24-year-old Qhawekazi Mazaleni from Butterworth in the Eastern Cape was crowned Miss South Africa 2025 at a glittering finale held at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria on Saturday, October 25.
Mazaleni, a qualified speech therapist currently pursuing her Masters degree specialising in autism, stood out with a powerful impact statement focused on South Africa’s unemployment crisis. She pinpointed educational foundations as the core issue, stating, “When 81 percent of our Grade 4 learners struggle to read for meaning, it shows us that our youth is left behind.” She announced that her central mission as Miss SA will be to champion inclusive education to break the cycle of unemployment.
The newly crowned queen’s journey has been deeply personal. Ahead of the finale, she shared on social media that her purpose was to inspire others, writing, “This entire journey has been bigger than me. It’s for every single woman who has imagined themselves making an impact but didn’t know where to start.”
It was announced that while Mazaleni will undertake her duties as Miss South Africa, Melissa Nayimuli will be the country’s representative at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant. The first runner-up in the competition was 23-year-old Luyanda Zuma, followed by Karabo Mareka as the second runner-up.