The Miss South Africa 2024 pageant concluded with Mia Le Roux, a 28-year-old advocate for inclusivity, being crowned as the winner. Le Roux’s victory comes after a period of intense controversy surrounding another contestant, Chidimma Adetshina. Adetshina, a 23-year-old law student, withdrew from the competition following allegations that her mother had stolen the identity of a South African woman.

Born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and Mozambican mother, Adetshina faced increasing social media scrutiny and criticism, with some questioning her eligibility to represent South Africa. A cabinet minister also publicly raised concerns about her participation, which only fueled the controversy. Adetshina responded by accusing her detractors of engaging in "black-on-black hate" and "afrophobia," a form of xenophobia that specifically targets Africans from other nations.

Amidst the uproar, Le Roux was crowned Miss South Africa. Diagnosed with profound hearing loss at just one year old, Le Roux used her acceptance speech to inspire others who have felt excluded. "I am a proud South African deaf woman and know what it feels like to be excluded. But thanks to the Miss South Africa Organization, I have a foot in the world of the included, and I want to build a bridge between those two worlds," she said. Le Roux expressed her desire to work with the government and corporate South Africa to help those who are financially excluded or differently-abled achieve their dreams.

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