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Mia le Roux became the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa following controversy surrounding the pageant, which saw one of the finalists withdraw from the competition after being mocked for her Nigerian ancestry.
In her acceptance speech, Ms Leroux said she hoped her win would help those who feel excluded from society to achieve their “wildest dreams, just like I did”.
She said she wanted to help those who were “financially excluded or had disabilities.”
Last week, 23-year-old law student Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the race after her mother was accused of stealing a South African woman’s identity.
Ms Adesina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother.
For weeks she has been at the centre of a social media storm, with many, including Cabinet ministers, questioning her right to represent the country.
She said she was a victim of “black on black hatred”, highlighting a particular strain of xenophobia in South Africa, known as “xenophobia”, which is directed at people from other African countries.
Ms. Leroux, 28, was diagnosed with severe hearing loss at age one and received a cochlear implant to help her perceive sound.
She said it took her two years of speech therapy before she was able to say her first words.
After receiving the award, the model and marketing manager said: “I am a proud Deaf South African woman and I know how it feels to be excluded.
“I know now that I was put on this planet to break boundaries, and tonight I did that.”
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