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Former Miss South Africa and Miss World Africa Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala has secured the Miss World South Africa franchise.
This makes her the licence holder for three of the world’s most prestigious beauty competitions: Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss Supranational.
The Miss World licence was secured under her company, African Beauty International (ABI), in 2025 — the same year she was appointed national director of Miss Supranational. She now serves as the national director for all three global pageants.
Montjane-Tshabalala was crowned Miss South Africa in 2010 and Miss World Africa in 2011. She is a veteran of the international stage, having competed in four major global pageants: Miss Earth 2007, Miss International 2009, Miss Universe 2011, and Miss World 2011.
With her vast experience, the beauty queen-turned-mogul explained what it takes to perform on the global stage.
“I have walked those stages,” Montjane-Tshabalala said. “I have stood under those lights as a competitor, felt what it means to carry the South African flag into those arenas, and I know — deeply and personally — what is at stake when a young woman steps out to represent this country.
“That lived experience is not something you can manufacture. It is the foundation everything I am building now rests on. South Africa will not just participate in these competitions. South Africa will compete to win.”
The upcoming global competitions are set to span three continents, kicking off with Miss Supranational 2026 on July 31 in Poland. This will be followed by Miss World 2026 on September 5 in Vietnam, and Miss Universe 2026 in Puerto Rico this November.
Montjane-Tshabalala expressed confidence in South Africa’s ability to reclaim these international crowns, citing the country’s rich history of success.
It has been 12 years since Rolene Strauss became the third South African to win the Miss World title in 2014. South Africa’s last Miss Universe victory came from Zozibini Tunzi in 2019, and Lalela Mswane secured the Miss Supranational crown more recently in 2022.
“South Africa has produced Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss Supranational winners — we know how to win, and we know what winning looks like,” Montjane-Tshabalala said. “Four years is too long. Twelve years is too long. My job is to make sure that the next time the world is looking for its next queen, they are looking at a South African.”
Governing all three franchises under a single organisation allows for a more streamlined search and selection process, Montjane-Tshabalala said, highlighting that candidates will now be mentored directly by someone who truly understands the global stage.
“For our fans, this changes everything. It means continuity. It means a long-term vision rather than a patchwork approach. It means that the woman we send to Poland in July, the woman we send to Vietnam in September, and the woman we send to Puerto Rico in November will all be products of the same commitment to excellence.”
The organisation stated that the timing of this milestone could not be more perfect, expressing confidence in Montjane-Tshabalala’s ability to take the reins and lead the country to global victory.
TimesLIVE
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