This past Saturday, mzansi’s premium beauty pageant made history after crowning its first-ever hearing-impaired finalist Mia Le Roux as the new Miss South Africa.
The crowning sparked lots of traction all over the internet with many sharing how content they were with how the events unfolded particularly given the controversy that occurred in the buildup to the grand finale.
Among the many who took to social media was the actress Nandi Madida who praised the pageantry organisation for taking the first step towards inclusivity.
While the crowning may still be something that many South Africans must adjust to, it’s an even more surreal experience for the new title holder, Mia.
The 28-year-old has been invited to several interviews in the last few days, and while it may have been her who stepped into the spotlight following her crowning, she has credited much of her journey to the community that helped make it all possible.
In her acceptance speech, she said:
“As a little girl, I never would have thought that someone like me could become Miss South Africa. It is extremely powerful what this could mean to other little girls, that even if you have something that makes you different, you still can achieve your dreams with determination and hard work.”
After being diagnosed with hearing loss at one years old, her family, supported by people from all walks of life, managed to raise funds to ensure that she was able to receive a cochlear transplant a year later. Mia describes this as being a life-changing opportunity.
“It was also the start of a long journey to listen to sound and connect with the world through speech, a journey that also has taught me to never give up.”
“It took two years of speech therapy and continued repetition of words before I looked up to the sky one day and said my first four words: ‘Kyk daar, wit wolke – look there, white clouds.”
Her mission now is to be an inspiration to other young girls who grew up differently abled and allow them to dream big just as she has done.
“Every little girl out there who has felt different because they are not what society expects them to be will realise they are so wildly capable, just like I am,” said Mia.
Also see: Mia Le Roux crowned the new Miss SA 2024
