Mia le Roux held a press conference following her victory at the SunBet Arena at Time Square in Menlyn, Tshwane, to become Miss South Africa 2024.
Mia le Roux was all smiles on Saturday when she was announced as the winner of the Miss SA pageant, which had been the subject of much controversy.
She is the first Miss South Africa contestant with hearing loss. Aside from utilizing a cochlear implant, Mia le Roux is also zeroing in on bringing issues to light for the deaf community.
While she received praise for winning the title, some have criticized Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina, a former contestant who was forced to withdraw from the competition after her eligibility to represent the nation was questioned.
Despite the fact that her father is Nigerian, she was born in South Africa.
Over the weekend, Nigerian musician Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, shared a picture of Le Roux with the following caption: So, after all that,…” with emojis of laughter.
Gayton McKenzie, South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, quickly addressed the controversy via social media:
“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.”
“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.”
Meanwhile, media personality Madiba from South Africa has also responded to Mia le Roux’s win as Miss South Africa 2024.
Madida claims that the selection of Free State model and student Mia le Roux as Miss South Africa 2024 serves as an inspiration for her.
In the competition’s 66-year history, Roux became the first hearing-impaired winner.
Nandi, who is the mother of two neurodivergent children—one of whom is autistic and the other of whom has ADHD—took to her timeline to celebrate Mia’s victory and discuss the significance of the victory for her.
“As a mother to a beautiful girl who is on the autistic spectrum, getting to watch Mia le Roux, who is deaf and has a cochlear implant, win Miss South Africa with my daughter is a moment I will forever cherish. Not only is it a game changer for the world, but one for the little kids out there who didn’t think it was possible. Inclusivity matters. Congrats Mia and to all the Miss South Africa contestants,” she wrote.
Nandi, who is married to Grammy-winning producer and DJ Zakes Bantwini, revealed in 2023 that she was given the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2022.
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Nandi suggested a “soul sister,” an actress who gave up her career to care for her neurodivergent child and shared advice on how to cope with autism in a positive way.
