The contestants represent six provinces – Gauteng has nine (including four from Soweto), followed by Mpumalanga with three and the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, North West and Western Cape with one each.
The 2024 winner will be crowned at Sun International’s flagship venue, the SunBet Arena at Time Square, Pretoria, on August 10, in what promises to be a spectacular and entertainment-packed show that will, again fittingly, take place during Women’s Month.
The Miss South Africa top 16 are (in alphabetical order):
• Chidimma Adetshina (23) from Pimville in Soweto, Gauteng, is a model, netball player and a Bachelor of Law student at Varsity College. She is passionate about sports and advocating for change in violence against women and children and GBV. She describes herself as ambitious, confident and optimistic. Her motto is, “Dreams are valid when actions are taken.”
• Kebalepile Ramafoko (25) is from Emalahleni, Mpumalanga. She has a BA in psychology and languages and is pursuing her honours degree. She is also a skills development facilitator and has a passion for sports and youth empowerment. She strives to create equal opportunities for all, believing sports can transform lives and build stronger communities. She describes herself as a determined, welcoming and fun-loving individual who enjoys making people laugh and showing up for others.
• Kirsten Khan (26), from Roodepoort, Gauteng, is a model and has completed her studies for a diploma in architectural draughting from Damelin College. She describes herself as compassionate, open-minded and resilient; a person who handles herself and others gracefully. She is passionate about mental health and believes the youth should get opportunities for exposure, to be heard and to pursue their dreams.
• Layla Zoubair (29) is from Kempton Park in Gauteng and is an outgoing and outspoken individual who thrives on challenges and exploring. She says she constantly seeks to push her boundaries and discover new things, driven by an inquisitive nature. Her curiosity fuels her passion for learning and growth, making every day a chance for new experiences and personal development.
• Lebohang Khoza (27) hails from Maritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, and is a performing arts teacher. She is a choreographer and actor with a BA degree in the performing arts from the University of KwaZulu Natal. She is passionate and open-minded and would love to elevate the spaces of education by introducing performing arts therapy.
• Lethaukuthula Maseko (24), also known as the ‘Diamond From Daveyton’, describes herself as a beacon of hope and resilience. Raised in Daveyton, Gauteng, she says she has transformed the pressures of her surroundings into a brilliant strength and that her story is a testament to the power of self-authorship, proving that one’s circumstances do not dictate one’s destiny. She says she shines bright, illuminating a path for others to forge their paths and sparkle in their unique way.
• Mia le Roux (28) was born in Sasolburg, Free State, and raised in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape. She is a marketing manager, model and part-time B Com marketing student. She was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at age one and said her community rallied behind her to give her the gift of hearing, inspiring her desire to make a positive impact and break barriers. She describes herself as resilient, dedicated, graceful and kind.
• Naledi Matlakala (24), from Midrand in Gauteng, is a B Com law student with a BA (psychology and criminology) from the University of Pretoria. She describes herself as a highly spirited soul with a mission of ‘Information IS Transformation’. She is committed to ensuring this information (plus resources) is activated in SA communities through an accessible, inclusive and relevant approach.
• Nobuhle Langa (26), from Emalahleni in Mpumalanga, is an audit trainee aiming to register as a chartered accountant. She founded the Langelihle Youth Foundation and has a Bachelor of Accounting Science from Wits University and a postgraduate diploma in accountancy from the IAS (Institute of Accounting Science). Langa describes herself as resilient, graceful and fearless. She would love to meet Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder of Gift of the Givers, to discuss how citizens could give back to society.
• Nolene Spinks (23) represents Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape. She says she dreams big, works hard and rests little. Spinks works as a Montessori preschool teacher. Her life’s goal is to live and to live boldly, giving hope to others and helping where she can. She recently launched her first solo single, Hou Bene Hou, and aims to release her next song later this year.
• Nompumelelo Maduna (28), from Rockville in Soweto, is a marketer pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Johannesburg. She is also a saxophonist in the making. She describes herself as generous, goal-driven, hardworking and kind. “One day, I want to perform in an orchestra in honour of my father, who loved music,” she says. Maduna was in the Miss South Africa top three in 2019.
• Onalenna Constantin (26), from Potchefstroom in the North West, has many talents. She is a model, a law student, an entrepreneur and a content creator. Constantin wants to inspire through her story that epitomises resilience and grace. She describes herself as an unwavering woman. She would love to meet policymakers about the dire need for social workers in every school to ensure social justice for women and children.
• Ontshiametse Tlhopane is a 23-year-old aspiring model from Protea Glen, Soweto. She has qualifications in criminology inspired by her curiosity about why crime is committed. She is also the founder of #SafeHere, an organisation she plans to use to impact children’s lives positively. Friendly, kind and empathetic are words used to describe her character. She believes everyone deserves opportunities and resources to pursue greatness.
• Palesa Lombard (25) is from Waverley in Johannesburg and says she has always been a dynamic, high-achieving individual. She is a final-year medical student interested in neurological pathologies. Lombard speaks fluent English and French and has a solid understanding of Afrikaans, isiZulu and Sesotho. She loves to balance her creative artistic abilities with her interests in science, achieved through biomedical science studies, creating artwork and being a part-time professional model.
• Reinette Potgieter, aged 26 and hailing from Trichardt in Mpumalanga, has attained a B Ed senior phase and further education and training teaching degree from the University of Pretoria. She is fully committed to her teaching profession. Describing herself as timeless, she endeavours to exemplify the grace and poise reminiscent of the late Princess Diana. She sees the youth as catalysts for societal change, inspiring progress and innovation.
• Taahira Katz (25) is from Nancefield in Soweto and has a degree in social science. She has travelled the world as an international model and is passionate about learning and engaging in new experiences. She would like to work with an organisation that focuses on the mental health crisis.
Download the Miss South Africa app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Weil Entertainment, in association with Sun International, present Miss South Africa. S3 is the official broadcast partner.
Visit Miss South Africa.
