Mia le Roux has become the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa after a divisive competition that saw one finalist withdraw after being criticized for her Nigerian heritage.
In his acceptance speech, Le Roux said he hoped his victory would help those who felt excluded from society achieve their “wildest dreams, just like me”.
She said she wanted to help those who were “financially excluded or disabled”.
Last week, 23-year-old law student Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the competition following allegations that her mother may have stolen a South African woman’s identity.
Ms. Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican origin.
She has been at the center of a social media storm for several weeks, with many people, including a minister, questioning her right to represent the country.
She said she was a victim of “black hatred”, highlighting a particular strain of xenophobia in South Africa known as “Afrophobia”, which affects people from other African countries.
Le Roux, 28, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of one and has a cochlear implant to help her perceive sound.
She said it took two years of speech therapy before she could say her first words.
Following her win, the model and marketing manager said: “I’m a proudly South African deaf woman and I know what it’s like to be excluded.
“Now I know I was put on this planet to break boundaries and I did that tonight.”
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