Historic feat: Mia le Roux crowned Miss South Africa 2024

WEB DESK: South African Mia le Roux was crowned Miss South Africa 2024, marking a historic milestone as the first differently-abled person to win the title.

The hearing-impaired Le Roux garnered attention at the beauty pageant for her personal journey and advocacy.

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The South African beauty queen was diagnosed with profound hearing loss aged just one. She received a cochlear implant at two years old, which significantly improved her communication abilities.

Her early achievements included participation in various beauty pageants such as Miss Struisie and Miss Garden Route, and ending in top five of Miss Deaf South Africa.

In her address, Mia le Roux talked about her commitment to inclusivity. “My advocacy for the year of my reign is inclusivity. I aim to create a sense of belonging for everyone who feels excluded,” she said.

Le Roux stated that her goal was to promote a more inclusive and supportive society throughout her tenure. The South African is a part-time marketing manager and a student at Unisa and is the second recipient of the Mowana Crown from Nungu Diamonds, which symbolises the “Tree of Life” theme.

Her achievement shows her dedication to overcoming stigma and championing the differently-abled community.

The chief executive officer of the Miss South Africa Organisation commended Le Roux for embodying the organisation’s values. “Mia represents the ethos that if you can dream it, you can achieve it. She reflects our pillars of duty, championship, empowerment, and beauty”.

In a recent interview, Mia le Roux discussed her motivation for entering the pageant and her focus on raising awareness about the deaf community’s challenges. She said her efforts focused on improving accessibility and inclusivity, including providing cochlear implants to those in need.

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She hopes that winning Miss South Africa 2024 will help challenge perceptions and advocate for a more inclusive society in South Africa.