Qhawekazi Mazaleni celebrated her Miss SA win last Saturday night with a hot bath, a burger in bed and a good night’s sleep.
Her choice of afterparty personifies her sense of purpose. As a member of a family of pageant professionals, the 24-year-old speech-language pathologist who specialises in autism has chosen education as the foundation of her campaign.
Mazaleni, from East London, says she plans to launch workshops for teachers and parents in underserved communities to help them create their own educational resources.
“It’s honestly surreal,” she told the Sunday Times. “Standing on that stage, I felt such gratitude. Not just for the crown, but for the journey that led me to that moment. It was such a moment of validation for the little girl in me who doubted if she belonged in certain rooms, let alone on that stage.
“My name really reminds me that being a leader is not about status, but really about service. Living up to that name now means remaining rooted in my purpose even in moments of discomfort. It motivates me to be the voice that creates space for others to grow and feel empowered in the spaces they step into.”
Mazaleni’s journey has deep family ties. Her mother is a former model and her older sister, Homba Mazaleni, was a Miss South Africa finalist who made it to the top five in 2023.
“Our journey has been so deeply intertwined. Watching my sister on the Miss SA 2023 stage really showed me how attainable our big dreams are. She taught me how to remain graceful under pressure and to really stay true to myself regardless of where I am.
“I saw how much she transformed during her journey through Miss SA and what an incredible platform it is for self-development.”
Before she entered the competition, Mazaleni was focused on inclusive education.
“To me inclusive education means that a child’s financial, linguistic, cultural and socioeconomic background does not hinder them from receiving fair access to resources. True inclusion is acknowledging potential and providing resources for each child to succeed.
“Speech therapy taught me the importance of language in education. When a child is not able to understand the language they are being taught in, we cannot begin to address later unemployment.
“Growing up in the Eastern Cape really grounded me. It taught me to remain humble and the importance of community. In Idutywa, I learnt how success is a collective effort. From drawing water to preparing meals for big family celebrations, if you want to accomplish something it starts with community.”
Her commitment to the task is evident in her work.
“I am really focusing on playing my part in breaking the cycle of unemployment from its root cause through addressing our illiteracy crisis. I plan on collaborating with multilingual authors, translators and illustrators to produce books and resources that are tailored to all South African languages. And to create literacy workshops for parents and teachers in underserved communities, because transformation really begins at the roots.”
She has penned a children’s book in isiXhosa.
“My book was born through my own experiences during my university practicals. I realised that there was a shortage of educational books and resources in South African languages.
“I initially wrote the book for one specific child, but after seeing how it impacted her understanding of colours and counting, I wanted to make it more accessible to children. I started by self-publishing and distributing the one in isiXhosa, which I now plan to translate into all 11 official languages.”
“I have come to realise through my speech therapy sessions that language builds trust. It really has been an easy way to say, ‘I see you.’ Being multilingual helps me gain insights into the lives and experiences of different communities. It may not give me an in-depth image, but it allows me to meaningfully connect.”
Her workshops for teachers and parents will focus on “low-cost and contextually relevant learning tools such as creating their own storybooks, visual aids and resources”.
“Most importantly, I would love to focus on how to support struggling learners and how to identify learners with delays in language or with special needs.
“Hope is contagious. I want to show our youth that your background does not limit your future. When you start doing the work with what you have, you become able to achieve goals you previously thought were impossible.”
Mazaleni said she was investing her R1m cash prize to secure her future.
“I view the prize package as a seed for my future, not an immediate reward — although I will likely buy myself something fun as well. During my reign I want to create a foundation for my literacy work that will carry on past my reign as Miss South Africa.”
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