Twenty-five-year-old Qhawekazi Mazaleni is still basking in the euphoria of being crowned Miss South Africa 2025 on Saturday night. Beyond the glitz of the runway, organisers say Mazaleni was selected for her empathy, leadership, and empowerment.

Qhawekazi is a speech and language therapist with a degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Therapy —and currently pursuing her master’s in Speech-Language Pathology, focusing her research on autism.

President Cyril Ramaphosa was among the first to congratulate the new Miss South Africa, calling her “an advocate for the empowerment of women and the education of our nation’s youth.” In his message, he also extended good wishes to the runners-up, Luyanda Zuma and Karabo Mareka.

“Our newest national flag bearer’s vision bodes well for her reign and beyond,” Ramaphosa wrote on X.

Connecting with languages

Fluent in isiXhosa, English, and Afrikaans—and currently learning Sepedi and isiZulu—Qhawekazi says she seeks to embody South Africa’s linguistic richness.

“My mom worked as a clerk at the Department of Education, and my dad works as a manager at Eskom. My mom is Sotho, and my dad is Xhosa and although we grew up predominantly speaking isiXhosa at home, they shaped my cultural and linguistic curiosity.”

Her advocacy extends beyond the speech clinic. Qhawekazi has written a children’s book in isiXhosa designed to improve literacy and numeracy among young learners. Her dream? To translate it into all 11 official South African languages.

Qhawekazi says she wants her work to bridge cultures. “Communication is connection,” she often says, and she’s determined to ensure that every South African, regardless of language or background, has access to that connection.

Qhawekazi believes pageantry is about impact. If she could fulfil one wish she says she would launch workshops for teachers and parents in underserviced communities, teaching them how to share resources and finding ways in which they can create their own.

For her triumph, Qhawekazi walks away with an R1-million cash prize ($58,048.70), a fully furnished luxury apartment, and a treasure trove of sponsorships. But what she truly treasures is her platform. “The crown is not a decoration—it’s a responsibility,” she said in her acceptance speech.

Her biggest contribution, she believes, is through her therapeutic work, where she focuses on “bridging cultural and linguistic gaps in speech therapy” and ensuring that her profession remains relevant to South Africa’s diverse realities.