# Miss South Africa

Miss South Africa is a national beauty pageant in South Africa that selects South African representatives to compete in one of the Big Four international beauty pageants Miss Universe, and also selects another representative to participate in Sub-major international pageant Miss Supranational. The Miss South Africa organisation resorted to a contemporary format in selecting representatives which was inaugurated in 2018. Following their newer method, both a Miss World South Africa and a Miss Universe South Africa were selected as representatives. From 2021 onwards, the winner of Miss South Africa will be competing in Miss Universe, and Miss Supranational. The current Miss South Africa 2024 is Mia le Roux. On May 11, 2023, the Miss South Africa Organisation has lost its license as a Miss World licensee holder to Carol Bouwer Productions, which has taken over the license of Miss World South Africa pageant.

## History

Established in 1956, the first official Miss South Africa pageant was organized to send a representative to London for the Miss World pageant. That year Norma Vorster was crowned Miss South Africa. Two years later, an 18-year-old secretary from Durban, Penny Coelen, was crowned and would later go on to make history and win Miss World.
It was not until 1977 that all persons of all races were allowed to compete in the Miss SA competition. Prior to that, people of colour competed in the Miss Africa South pageant, which was renamed Miss Black South Africa in 1977.
This was just the beginning for the Miss South Africa organisation; of the 60 women who have worn the crown, only the last 27 winners have been chosen from the entire population of South Africa and not just white individuals. Since then, hundreds of young women have entered the pageant vying for the title.
Miss South Africa (or a runner-up in some instances) has always competed at Miss World, but the first Miss South Africa to compete at Miss Universe was Kerishnie Naicker in 1998.
Prior to 1998, South Africa's representatives at Miss Universe qualified via other national pageants.
Three Miss South Africas, namely Rolene Strauss, Anneline Kriel and Penelope Coelen, have won the Miss World titles in 2014, 1974 and 1958 respectively. Three women from South Africa have won the title of Miss Universe - Margaret Gardiner in 1978, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters in 2017 and Zozibini Tunzi in 2019.
Prior to the establishment of the official Miss South Africa, South African Pictorial ("The Union's National Weekly") held annual Beauty Competitions starting in 1923. This evolved later into Miss South Africa. The first winner of this prize was Mrs. Doris Ferramosca (née Doris Gwendoline Helliwell).
In 2020, Miss South Africa franchised the Miss Supranational license. In 2022, Miss South Africa 2021, Lalela Mswane became the first South African woman have won the title of Miss Supranational.

## International crowns by year

* Penelope Coelen, Miss World 1958
* Anneline Kriel, Miss World 1974
* Margaret Gardiner, Miss Universe 1978
* Rolene Strauss, Miss World 2014
* Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, Miss Universe 2017
* Zozibini Tunzi, Miss Universe 2019
* Lalela Mswane, Miss Supranational 2022

## Titleholders

| Year | Miss South Africa | Runners Up | Runners Up | Ref. |
| Year | Miss South Africa | 1st Princess | 2nd Princess | Ref. |
| 1923 | Doris Ferramosca | W. J. van Blommestein | Marjorie Elizabeth Cowley | |
| 1943 | Susie Smuts | Unknown | Unknown | |
| 1956 | Norma Vorster | Gloria Keeley | Virginia Burman | |
| 1957 | Adele Kruger | Jessie Waring | Denise Nichols | |
| 1958 | Penelope Coelen | Rosemary Whitlock | Debbie du Toit | |
| 1959 | Moya Meaker | Sophie Pieters | Kitty Green | |
| 1960 | Denise Muir | Dorothy Farquhar | Stella Pithey | |
| 1961 | Yvonne Hulley | Marlene Boyes | Rita Rheeder | |
| 1962 | Yvonne Ficker | Ellen Liebenberg | Madeleine Usher | |
| 1963 | Louise Crous | Jennifer Slater | Maureen van Niekerk | |
| 1964 | Vedra Karamitas | Lorraine Mason | Virginia Scott-King | |
| 1965 | Carol Davis | Diane Webster | Ann Barber | |
| 1966 | Johanna Carter | Dawn Duff-Gray | Margo Galbraith | |
| 1967 | Disa Duivestein | Mary McDonald | Tiny de Lange | |
| 1968 | Mitzianna Stander | Linda Collett | Patsy Goswell | |
| 1969 | Linda Collett | Diana Newman | Jackie Sayer | |
| 1970 | Jillian Jessup | Wendith Brink | Dorothea Scott | |
| 1971 | Monica Fairall | Merle Worsley | Maria Claassen | |
| 1972 | Stephanie Reinecke | Robin-Gail Hargreaves | Carolien van Niekerk | |
| 1973 | Shelley Latham | Janet Sanderson | Theresa Rood | |
| 1974 | Anneline Kriel | Ruanne Louw | Anita Michas | |
| 1975 | Helga Vera Johns | Crystal Cooper | Rhoda Rademeyer | |
| 1976 | Lynn Massyn | Louise Withfield | Jan Kiggan | |
| 1977 | Vanessa Wannenburg | Elizabeth Bunting | Marilyn Albutt | |
| 1978 | Yolanda Kloppers | Monique Hare | Dawn Chapman | |
| 1979 | Karen Sickel | Gail Rocher | Wendy Ross | |
| 1980 | Sandra McCrystal | Kim Aston | Fiona White | |
| 1981 | Linda Phillips | Elmarie van Aswegen | Susan Schuttler | |
| 1982 | Odette Scrooby | Andrea Stelzer | Gail Sylvester | |
| 1983 | Leanne Hosking | Karen Maingard | Cathy Steed | |
| 1984 | Laetitia Snyman | Colleen Redman | Patience Craig | |
| 1985 | Andrea Stelzer | Sandy McCormack | Lorna-Anne Findlay | |
| 1986 | Sandy McCormack | Nancy Riach | Marie-Louise le Roux | |
| 1987 | Wilma van der Bijl | Robyn Poole | Janine Botbyl | |
| 1988 | Janine Botbyl | Roberta Alessandri | Mache Booysen | |
| 1989 | Michelle Bruce | Helen Lewis | Deborah Good | |
| 1990 | Suzette van der Merwe | Olivia Scrooby | Cheryl Coombe-Davis | |
| 1991 | Diana Tilden-Davis | Amy Kleinhans | Sasha-Lee Walton | |
| 1992 | Amy Kleinhans | Augustine Masilela | Lisa King | |
| 1993 | Jacqui Mofokeng | Corinne Durrheim | Marelize Steyn | |
| 1994 | Basetsana Makgalemele | Sonia Kempff | Helen Macleod | |
| 1995 | Bernelee Daniell | Vanashree Moodley | Natalie Benard | |
| 1996 | Peggy-Sue Khumalo | Babalwa Mneno | Adele van Niekerk | |
| 1997 | Kerishnie Naicker | Jessica Motaung | Petro van Zyl | |
| 1998 | Sonia Raciti | Heidi van Zyl | Keziah Jooste | |
| 1999 | Heather Joy Hamilton | Nadia Wyngaard | Pulane Moraladi | |
| 2000 | Jo-Ann Strauss | Layla Jeevananthum | Claire Drew | |
| 2001 | Vanessa Do Céu Carreira | Claire Sabbagha | Bonneventia Pule | |
| 2002 | Cindy Nell | Tammy-Anne Fortuin | Bridget Masinga | |
| 2003 | Joan Ramagoshi | Marissa Eggli | Siza Majola | |
| 2004 | Claudia Henkel | Dhiveja Sundrum | Sharon Arigye-Mushabe | |
| 2005 | Nokuthula Sithole | Avumile Qongqo | Matapa Maila | |
| 2006 | Megan Coleman | Brigid Osborne | Tracey-Lee Flanders | |
| 2007 | Tansey Coetzee | Avumile Qongqo | Manisha Pillay | |
| 2008 | Tatum Keshwar | Anja van Zyl | Buyi Shongwe | |
| 2009 | Nicole Flint | Matapa Maila | Lisa van Zyl | |
| 2010 | Bokang Montjane | Dhesha Jeram | Bianca Coutinho | |
| 2011 | Melinda Bam | Remona Moodley | Thuli Sangweni | |
| 2012 | Marilyn Ramos | Stacey Webb | Pearl Nxele | |
| 2014 | Rolene Strauss | Ziphozakhe Zokufa | Matlala Mokoko | |
| 2014 | Ziphozakhe Zokufa | Matlala Mokoko | No Replacement | |
| 2015 | Liesl Laurie | Refilwe Mthimunye | Ntsiki Mkhize | |
| 2016 | Ntandoyenkosi Kunene | Elizabeth Molapo | Tayla Skye Robinson | |
| 2017 | Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters | Adè van Heerden | Boipelo Mabe | |
| 2017 | Adè van Heerden | Boipelo Mabe | No Replacement | |
| Year | Miss South Africa | Miss Universe South Africa | Miss World South Africa | Ref. |
| 2018 | Tamaryn Green | Tamaryn Green | Thulisa Keyi | |
| 2019 | Zozibini Tunzi | Zozibini Tunzi | Sasha-Lee Olivier | |
| 2019 | Sasha-Lee Olivier | Zozibini Tunzi | Sasha-Lee Olivier | |
| Year | Miss South Africa | Runners Up | Runners Up | Ref. |
| Year | Miss South Africa | 1st Runner Up | 2nd Runner Up | Ref. |
| 2020 | Shudufhadzo Musida | Thato Mosehle | Natasha Joubert | |
| 2021 | Lalela Mswane | Moratwe Masima | Zimi Mabunzi | |
| 2022 | Ndavi Nokeri | Ayanda Thabethe | Lebogang Mahlangu | |
| 2023 | Natasha Joubert | Bryoni Govender | Nande Mabala | |
| 2024 | Mia le Roux | Nompumelelo Maduna | Onalenna Constantin | |

### International Competitions
#### List of Titleholders under Miss South Africa Organization

The following women have represented South Africa in two of the Big Four major international beauty pageants for women. These are Miss World and Miss Universe; Miss International and Miss Earth are held by separate national beauty pageants in South Africa.

#### Miss Universe South Africa

       On some occasions, the winner of Miss South Africa represents her country at the Miss Universe pageant. Prior to 1982, the winner of the Miss RSA pageant represented South Africa at Miss Universe. Prior to 1998, the winner of the individual Miss Universe South Africa compete at Miss Universe. From 1981-1983 and in 1979, delegates from two of South Africa's Bantustans competed at Miss Universe.

#### Miss World South Africa

       On some occasions, the winner of Miss South Africa represents her country at the Miss World pageant. From 1970 to 1976, South Africa had one white and one black representative at Miss World. The white representative wore a sash that said "South Africa" and the black representative wore a sash that said "Africa South".

#### Miss Supranational South Africa

       Miss South Africa Organisation held the Miss Supranational franchise in 2020 and send 1st runner-up, Thato Mosehle. From 2021 onwards, the winner of Miss South Africa will be competing in Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Supranational when her schedule permits or won any of the international title.