Miss South Africa Mia le Roux receiving the national flag from Brand South Africa Manger at CEO's office, Toni Gumede. Picture: Bonginkosi Tiwane
Reigning Miss South Africa Mia le Roux was given the national flag by Brand South Africa on Thursday ahead of her trip to Mexico to compete at Miss Universe.
Miss SA said she felt confident and would carry it proudly.
“It’s a big responsibility but I trusted myself when I entered Miss South Africa and I will continue to trust myself that I will carry that flag high and beautiful and proudly,” Le Roux told The Citizen.
A handful of media, fashion industry folk, friends and family of Le Roux gathered at the swanky Maslow hotel in Sandton to give Miss SA a warm send-off before she flies to Mexico to compete at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant.
“When we give someone the flag, literally the person is going to be the flag bearer of the country. You hold the country’s identity,” Manager at the office of the chief executive officer at Brand South Africa, Toni Gumede told The Citizen.
Miss Universe will be held in the Arena CDMX, Mexico City, Mexico, on 16 November 2024.
“We are giving you a responsibility to represent the country in its true identity and the South African identity which is Ubuntu. It is centred on inclusivity, diversity and who we are as a nation,” averred Gumede.
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Gumede said this responsibility bestowed on Le Roux, is coupled with her own character of compassion.
“That’s why Brand South Africa is here. What prompted us as Brand South Africa to come on board and support Miss South Africa in the first place is that Miss South Africa is a representation of women who are doing something to make a social impact in their communities,” shared Gumede.
Brand SA’s involvement is tied to its programme, Play Your Part, which comes within the context of its mandate to promote pride and patriotism to celebrate and inspire a spirit of active citizenship in South Africa.
“We are here because she [Mia] has played her part. She’s playing her part here in South Africa, but the flag she’s going to carry beyond the borders of South Africa.”
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The programme aims to lift the spirit of the nation by inspiring all South Africans to contribute to positive change and become involved.
“Now Mia is one of the best examples that demonstrates inclusivity and advocacy. We are passionate about advocacy because you cannot build a country from outside in,” shared Gumede.
“We promote South Africa to the world, but we have to promote South Africa to South Africans and South Africans like Mia who are advocates for social change that is positive.”
Le Roux is the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss SA and she has spoken about wanting to bring more inclusivity for people who are deaf.
“When I was a little girl I was always waiting for my hero, for someone to stand up for me and make a way forward for me,” said Le Roux.
“I truly know what it’s like to feel frustrated when you know how intelligent and clever you are but to keep banging on those doors but they won’t open and eventually I realised that I need to be my own hero,” she said.
As part of the build-up to Miss SA, each one of the Top 10 contestants in the pageant had the opportunity to present their project to Brand SA under the Play Your Part programme.
“We had two Play Your Part ambassadors who were judges and a Brand South Africa employee who assessed by category if these projects are really what we mean when we say South Africans must play their part,” said Gumede.
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