As entries for Miss South Africa 2025 continue to pour in, former titleholders have come together to offer important advice to the next generation of hopefuls.
Recently, Rolene Strauss, Tamaryn Green-Numalo, Mia Le Roux, and Nompumelelo Maduna hosted a special workshop to guide those entering the pageant. The workshop focused on staying true to oneself, staying informed, and embracing diversity — values that the Miss South Africa platform proudly promotes.
Tamaryn Green-Numalo, who was crowned Miss South Africa in 2018, encouraged entrants to be authentic.
“I’ve had the honour of being a judge for Crown Chasers, which is something new that Miss South Africa has brought again. I really applaud them for doing that because Crown Chasers honestly shows people who they really are. You can’t keep up a facade for very long. It’s difficult to be fake, and difficult to keep up,” she said.
Tamaryn stressed that trying to copy past winners is not the way to succeed.
“You have a winner you look up to. It could be me, Zozi or Peggy-Sue, Mia, and you try to then almost kind of shift your identity into that because she won, and that’s what they’re looking for. No, they’re looking for someone different. So, when you enter that competition, really ask yourself who I am and what I can bring? We need more representation because that’s the beauty of South Africa,” she added.
Nompumelelo Maduna, the 2024 Miss South Africa runner-up, shared another key tip: stay informed about the world.
“I think it’s important to also know what’s happening in the country. Please, it’s G20, W20 and Y20. Trump is putting us into positions, but we are fighting the good fight, in a good way and we’ve got a great President. Know that’s the first time in many years that we’ve had a female AG,” she said.
Nompumelelo explained that general knowledge is important because contestants will interact with people from many different backgrounds. “These things are important because you’re going to be exposed to environments of many people coming from different disciplines, so you’ve got to be able to, at least, start a conversation. We’re not saying know everything, but have a good summary of knowledge,” she added.
Mia Le Roux, the current Miss South Africa 2024, shared how winning changed her life, especially as someone who is hearing impaired.
“Being Miss South Africa really changed my life. Even more profoundly than it would for others because I come from a background of being hearing impaired. I felt like such a big switch before Miss SA. I was just trying to survive. I was just trying to break boundaries. People weren’t listening in terms of what I needed, inclusivity, and trying to find a job and make ends meet,” she said.
She continued, “My life was a constant struggle. When I entered Miss SA, I entered because I saw how it was made to be more inclusive. Then, I became Miss South Africa, and my life took a turn for the better. For the first time in my life, I’m hearing in classrooms, offices, and normal households’ conversations about what it means to be inclusive taking place.”
Entries for Miss South Africa 2025 will close on Friday, 11 April 2025. Hopefuls still have a short time left to submit and take the first step toward changing their lives.
