Despite the controversies surrounding the Miss South Africa pageant, Mia le Roux managed to capture the hearts of South Africans as she was announced as the new Miss SA 2024.

Mia le Roux is the first person ever who is differently-abled to win the Miss SA pageant.

Le Roux has not only overcome the stigma that people usually associate people who are differently-abled with, but she has indeed shown that believing in yourself and embracing being different can get you far in life.

Mia le Roux is a 24-year-old who was born in Sasolburg in the Free State but was raised in Oudtshoorn. She currently lives in Rosebank, Cape Town.

Le Roux was diagnosed with profound hearing loss when she was just a year old.

She went to The Carol du Toit centre from the age of one till she was five years old. A special school for children who suffer from hearing loss.

Her community blessed her with a cochlear implant when she was just two years old.

After two years of speech therapy and a journey of listening to sound, Le Roux’s first words were “Kyk daar, wit wolke” meaning “Look there, white clouds”.

After being crowned, le Roux shared what her advocacy is with the audience, “My advocacy for the year of my reign is inclusivity. I guess for anyone who feels excluded, I want to help create a sense of belonging for everyone.”

Le Roux is committed to making a change for the duration of her reign and creating an inclusive and supportive society.

The part-time marketing manager and Unisa student is the second to wear the Mowana Crown from Nungu Diamonds. Mowana means tree of life.

Le Roux is no stranger to the pageant world, as she entered beauty pageants before and won titles such as Miss Struisie, and Miss Garden Route, and once made it to the Top 5 of Miss Deaf South Africa.

Stephanie Weil, CEO of the Miss South Africa Organisation congratulated the new Miss SA, “Mia embodies the Miss South Africa Organisation’s ethos that if you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

“She also embraces and personifies the organisation’s four pillars-duty, championship, empowerment and beauty, so I can think of no one more fitting to wear the crown and we can’t wait to see what she achieves during her reign”