Dr Mmakgaka Claude Mashego from Mapaleng village in Acornhoek wins has been crowned the first-ever Miss World South Africa.

While the national team’s fifteen players prepared to unleash their final wrath on the rugby pitch, twelve of the country’s most beautiful women competed for the Miss World SA crown on Saturday evening at the Pretoria State Theatre.

Claude, the recently crowned reigning queen, will compete for the nation in New Delhi, India, at the Miss World pageant the following year.

When asked why she believed the pageant was important, Claude gave a convincing response, which ultimately clenched the beauty queen her well-deserved victory. 

“I believe the Miss Word SA platform is a platform for leadership for young people, and I’m saying this because we see the need for the rising of young leaders in our country.

“We’re going towards the 2024 elections and we always ask the question, ‘Where are the young people in parliament?’

“These young women [referring to fellow finalists] are standing here to prove themselves as worthy leaders to take this country forward,” she said.

The inaugural Miss World SA crown named Peo, meaning seed, was designed and made by local company NQ Jewellery Design Services. 

Initials of finalists from the first cohort were engraved on the crown in gold.