PRETORIA: Mia le Roux has become the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa following a divisive competition which saw one finalist withdraw after being trolled over her Nigerian heritage.
She defeated nine other predominantly black models on Saturday to win the highly coveted crown.
She is the first deaf person to be crowned Miss South Africa.
Le Roux is a descendant of the Dutch settlers in South Africa, Boers, who formed the minority white population.
She will receive a cash prize of $53,371 (R1 million), a Mercedes Benz car and a luxury fully furnished apartment.
She is an undergraduate. Her pet projects would be focused on persons living with disabilities.
Le Roux’s emergence followed Nigerian-affiliated model, Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina’s withdrawal from the contest after she attracted scrutiny over her nationality.
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Adetshina, a model of Nigerian and Mozambican heritage, became the centre of a nationality row in July after she qualified for the round of 16 of the Miss South Africa beauty pageant.
She recently withdrew from the competition despite being a Top 11 Finalist, after the South African Department of Home Affairs alleged that her mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.
