‘Mowana, the Tree of Life’: What you need to know about the new Miss SA crown

On Monday the Miss SA organisation hosted an exclusive reveal party in Menlyn, Pretoria for the brand-new crown.

The new Miss SA crown was designed by the dynamic duo behind Nungu Diamonds, Ursula Pule, and her husband, Kealeboga Pule. The new coronet is called Mowana, the Tree of Life, a tree that signifies life.

The pair are known for creating memorable pieces for celebrities such as Somizi Mhlongo, Mohale Motaung, Connie Ferguson, and Dineo Langa.

Ursula Pule, the creative director and co-founder of Nungu Diamonds said her inspiration for Mowana came from a safari she took in Musina in 2019.

“From the magnificent baobab tree, also known as the Tree of Life. As you drive into Limpopo, you see these exquisite trees unlike any other. Trees that represent our African heritage.

“The next morning, on a game drive, I saw the sun rising behind a baobab and was mesmerised. That was my inspiration, and I have carried that vision with me all these years. When it was time to design the crown, I thought that there was nothing better to represent our country and our company Nungu Diamonds.”

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Minimalist design

Dubbed the first crown of its kind in the country, Kealeboga said Mowana is made up of over 800 stones comprising diamonds, gemstones, and cubic zirconia, the biggest stone weighing 15 carats.

“As Nungu Diamonds, we were honoured to introduce the 2023 Miss South Africa crown, inspired by the rich heritage of South Africa, at the official crown launch in Pretoria,” he added.

The Miss SA pageant will take place this Sunday, 13 August, at SunBet Arena at Time Square, Pretoria.

The Miss SA 2023 title winner will not only wear the brand-new coronet, but will also take home prizes and sponsorships worth more than R3 million.

The Top 7 Miss SA finalists vying for Mowana are Anke Rothmann (23) from the Northern Cape, Bryoni Govender (26) from Gauteng, Homba Mazaleni (23) from the Eastern Cape, Jordan van der Vyver (27) from the Western Cape, Melissa Nayimuli (27) from the Eastern Cape, Nande Mabala (25), from the Western Cape and Natasha Joubert (25) from Gauteng.