The Miss South Africa beauty pageant and the quest for that crown has brought together the most beautiful, vibrant and intelligent women, who are all about empowering, bringing change and inspiring young men and women of our country.
IOL shines a spotlight on the nine Gauteng-born crown chasers who have made it to the top 16 of the competition.
Layla Zoubair
The 29-year-old Kempton Park resident is the founder and designer of Fair Collection SA. She describes herself as an outgoing and outspoken individual who thrives on challenges and exploring.
“My reason for entering Miss SA 2024 is because I believe in the power of representation. As a single mother I believe that it is important for me to be able to represent the young women in our communities and to remind them to never give up on their dreams,” she said in her entree video.
Layla says she constantly seeks to push her boundaries and discover new things, driven by her inquisitive nature. Her curiosity fuels her passion for learning and growth, making everyday an opportunity for new experiences and personal development.
Lethaukuthula Ayanda Maseko
The 24-year-old “Diamond from Daveyton”, Lethaukuthula Ayanda Maseko describes herself as a beacon of hope and resilience.
She is currently pursuing her honours degree at Witwatersrand University. Raised in Daveyton, Gauteng, she says she has transformed the pressures of her surroundings into a brilliant strength and that her story is a testament to the power of self-authorship, proving that one’s circumstances do not dictate their destiny.
The crown chaser shared that she is a relentless advocate for change and unemployment, which inspired her to enter the pageant.
Naledi Matlakala
The 24-year-old Naledi Matlakala is a Bcom Law student with a BA (Psychology and Criminology) from the University of Pretoria.
The Midrand resident describes herself as a highly spirited soul with a mission of “information is transformation” and she is committed to ensuring that this information (plus resources) is activated within South African communities through an accessible, inclusive and relevant approach.
“As your Miss South Africa, I would work very very hard and intentionally, in not only connecting information to South African communities but activating that information and its resources while ensuring that its delivery is continuously accessible, inclusive and relevant”.
Ontshiametse Tlhopane
The 23-year-old aspiring model from Protea Glen in Soweto, has qualifications in criminology and was inspired by her curiosity about youth misbehaviour.
The aspiring model is also the founder of #Safehere, an organisation she plans to use to positively impact the lives of children. She describes her character as friendly, kind and empathetic.
She believes that everyone deserves opportunities and resources to pursue greatness.
Taahira Katz
Taking a leap of faith and stepping into her light, we have 25-year-old Taahira Katz from Nancefield in Soweto who has a degree in Social Sciences.
Taahira says she has always had passion and curiosity towards people and the environment in which we operate which inspired her to study social sciences.
She has travelled the world as an international model and has a passion for learning and engaging in new experiences. She says she would like to work with an organisation that focuses on the crisis around mental health.
Palesa Lombard
From Waverley in Johannesburg, Palesa Lombard, 25, says she has always been a dynamic and high-achieving individual.
The final year medical student is interested in neurological pathologies. She is multilingual and speaks English and French fluently while having a comprehensive understanding of Afrikaans, isiZulu and Sesotho.
She loves to balance her creative, artistic abilities with her deep interests in science, achieved through biomedical science studies, creating artwork and being a professional model part-time.
Nompumelelo Maduna
The 29-year-old from Rockville, Soweto, is a marketer by profession and she is pursuing a master’s degree in marketing at the University of Johannesburg.
The crown chaser is a saxophonist in the making. Nompumelelo describes herself as a soul that is generous, goal-driven, hardworking and kind.
Nompumelelo launched a programme called Impumelelo Girls Mentorship to empower and support young women to grow in their education sphere and to pivot in their careers.
Kirsten Khan
The 26-year-old Kirsten Khan is a model from Johannesburg currently residing in Cape Town. She has completed her studies for a diploma in architectural draughting from Damelin College.
The 26-year-old describes herself as a compassionate, open-minded and resilient person who handles herself and others with grace.
She is passionate about mental health and believes the youth should be given the opportunity to be seen, heard and to pursue their dreams.
Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina
The 23-year-old Soweto-born model currently lives in Cape Town, where she is studying towards a Bachelor of Law student at Varsity College.
The tall netball player is passionate about sports and advocating for change on violence against women and children and gender-based violence.
The crown chaser describes herself as ambitious, confident and optimistic. Her motto is “dreams are valid when actions are taken”.
In her entree video, Chidimma shared that she wants to break the silence around violence against women and with her platform, she can encourage South Africans to join her in advocating, creating awareness and educating the public about gender-based violence.
IOL