Ramaphosa hopes Miss SA Qhawekazi Mazaleni will be advocate for women empowerment, youth education

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he hopes the newly crowned Miss South Africa Qhawekazi Mazaleni will be a true advocate for women empowerment and for the education of the country’s youth.

The 24-year-old took the top prize at the prestigious annual beauty pageant at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria over the weekend, beating runners up Luyanda Zuma and Karabo Mareka.

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Currently pursuing a master’s degree in speech-language pathology at the University of Pretoria, Mazaleni said she’s passionate about promoting literacy.

Before her crowning in the 67th installment of the competition, she told the pageant judges and supporters that her vision was to make a significant impact in her community and beyond as Miss South Africa 2025.

"The skill I would empower youth with is being able to start with what you have. You won’t always have the opportunities handed to you, but when you have the tools and resources available to you, you will be able to make an impact in your community and in the communities you operate in."