Qhawekazi Mazaleni Reveals What Inspired Her to Become a Speech Therapist

South Africa’s reigning Miss South Africa 2025, Qhawekazi Mazaleni, has opened up about the deeply personal experience that inspired her to pursue a career in Speech-Language Therapy. While many know her as a beauty queen and advocate, she recently shared that her passion for helping others began long before she wore the Miss South Africa crown.

Taking to social media, Qhawekazi reflected on the defining moment that changed the course of her life and set her on a path of purpose.

“My greatest joy comes from knowing that I am EXACTLY where I am supposed to be. Not many people know the story of how I ended up becoming a speech therapist…

Long story short, in matric (grade 12) I had no idea what speech therapy was. I asked some speech therapists in East London if I could come watch what they do so I could see if I was a good fit. The session I ended up sitting in on was with a mid forties Xhosa-speaking man who had a stroke and was in the brink of losing his job as a result. He had lost his ability to speak, but could understand some language. His speech therapist spoke mainly English and Afrikaans. Although she was trying her absolute best to build understanding between them, the language gap was too big to conquer in that session.

From that day, I set off on a mission: To bridge the gap of language in healthcare and (later) education. I honestly didn’t have the words to describe exactly what I wanted to do back then or what it would look like. I just had stubborn persistence.

Argh, but I knew the calling on my heart even then which is still tugging and guiding now. And now 7 years later here we are.

Thank you to the South African Speech Language and Hearing Association @saslhassociation for having me share my journey and insights with such an experienced and attentive audience. Celebrating 80 years with you was phenomenal, and here’s to 80 more.”

Highlighting how one life-changing experience can shape a person’s future. Witnessing the communication barriers between a stroke survivor and his speech therapist left a lasting impression on her, inspiring her to dedicate her life to ensuring that language is never a barrier to receiving quality healthcare or education.

Rather than walking away from that experience, Qhawekazi chose to turn it into a mission. What began as curiosity during her matric year eventually became a calling that has guided her academic journey and continues to influence the work she hopes to do in South Africa.

Qhawekazi studied Speech-Language Therapy and earned her bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language and Hearing Therapy from Stellenbosch University in 2023. She later pursued a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Pretoria, focusing on autism.

Her recent address to the South African Speech Language and Hearing Association marked another meaningful milestone in her journey. As the association celebrated its 80th anniversary, Qhawekazi had the opportunity to share her experiences, her purpose and the vision that has driven her for the past seven years.