The newly crowned queen opens up about authenticity, quiet confidence and her
mission to expand access to meaningful education.
My first interaction with Qhawekazi Mazaleni, I quickly realise the title is only one part of her
story. Warm, thoughtful and refreshingly honest, the 2025 Miss South Africa winner carries her
name — which means a bold and brave woman — with a quiet kind of wit.
But she admits it wasn’t always that way.
