Butterworth-born model, Qhawekazi Mazaleni, is becoming the pride of her rural town after being in the top 10 of the Miss South Africa pageant.
The rangy 24-year-old is aiming to make it into the top 5 finalists, should the Eastern Cape and the country get behind her and vote for her. However, Mazaleni said her home was in Dutywa where her father was brought up by his parents. She is the youngest of three sisters, all carving their names in their respective careers.
The eldest, Thembakazi, is an electrical engineer, Homba a biokineticist, and she herself a speech therapist. “I had a childhood filled with love and support. I remember my parents constantly reminding us about our culture and language to make sure we grew up not only knowing who we are, but really proud of who we are and where we come from.”
Mazaleni said she had been granted room to make mistakes and learn whilst growing up. The modelling bug caught her in grade 12 when she entered her high school beauty pageant. Initially, she said, it had been nerve-wracking posing for the camera, but time had helped her. Her work was one of her inspirations to enter the pageant. “Whilst working as a speech therapist I saw how difficult it can be for children to learn how to read or write because many times they are not able to learn in their own language. I recently self-published my book in isiXhosa, Amasele Amdaka, which aims to teach children how to read and count in their home language.
“I have seen first-hand the difference it makes when a child is able to interact with books in their own language. I want to use the Miss SA platform to ensure more children have access and resources in their own languages,” she said. Her elder sister, Homba, had also entered the pageant in 2023. The positive changes entering the pageant brought to Homba had also been an inspiration to her. She said it made her more confident and she used her voice to uplift communities.
For me Miss SA is about being the best version of myself to make sure I am able to serve South Africa to the best of my abilities.
The journey to the top 10, she said, had been intense but deeply rewarding. “It has pushed me so far out of my comfort zone and taught me resilience I never knew I had. Being in the top 10 is an absolute dream come true. It has taught me the importance of living life with intention, the power of sisterhood and encouraged me to keep showing up as myself.”
Mazaleni said should she win the Miss SA 2025 title, she planned to help create a more inclusive educational world. “With our country’s high unemployment and dropout rates, we have to start looking at its root causes. An important one being education. Research shows that children are able to learn how to read and write better in their home language, which means they need books and resources in their home language. I plan to partner with multilingual illustrators, publishers and authors to create more multilingual books in South African languages,” she said.
Mazaleni also plans to contribute in the early childhood development programmes through workshops for preschool teachers and parents to equip them with skills and knowledge they require to best support their children. Asked about her advice to young people with so many challenges they face, she said there was great power in their voices.
She said it did not matter if the voice was asking for help, standing up for oneself or helping someone else. In her free time, Mazaleni enjoys time indoors with family and friends. She also likes going to the gym, watching movies, playing guitar and reading.
“I appreciate every single vote that goes towards helping me secure a spot in the top 5. To vote for me as your Miss South Africa 2025, please download the Miss South Africa App, go to Top 10 and click on Qhawekazi Mazaleni,” she said.
The closing date to vote is 24 October.
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