This week the national beauty pageant industry came under intense focus on social media after the announcement that the rights to the Miss Universe SA pageant have been acquired by former Miss South Africa Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala under her company African Beauty International.
The excitement was heightened with the announcement that 2023 Miss SA finalist Melissa Nayimula will be representing South Africa at the Miss Universe pageant which will take place 21 November 2025 in Thailand.
The selection of Melissa who was in the top 5 of the then pageant was a very surprising choice which led to confusion amongst South Africans.
There was an expectation that the upcoming Miss SA will be the delegate that will be sent to Thailand to compete in the pageant. This came from the lack of knowledge about the inner workings of the pageant industry.
This was cleared up when it was made public that since Miss SA and Miss Universe SA are separate entities meaning the winner of Miss SA cannot be a representative of South Africa on the Miss Universe stage.
The 29-year old model, film and music producer hails from Butterworth in the Eastern Cape. She proclaimed during her run for the 2023 crown that she aims to fight for causes such as xenophobia amongst other issues. She has shared this when she made the following statement:
” I would like to start conversations that are aimed at repairing the damage caused by xenophobia, not only in South Africa but all over the African continent. This is not only a South African problem, it is not only an Africa problem, it is a global issue”
African Beauty International made the following statement on their Instagram page after announcing Melissa as Miss Universe SA for the year of 2025;
“She will represent our beautiful country this November in Thailand on the @missuniverse stage carrying a message of hope, unity, inclusivity & transformation”
The country will be rooting for Melissa when she competes for the Miss Universe crown on 21 November in Thailand.
