Joe McConnell
Mia le Roux has become the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa, following a divisive competition that saw one of the finalists withdraw after being ridiculed for her Nigerian heritage.
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Le Roux said she hoped her victory would help those who feel excluded from society realize their “wildest dreams, just like me.”
He said he wanted to help those who were “financially excluded or disabled.”
Last week, 23-year-old law student Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the competition following allegations that her mother had stolen the identity of a South African woman.
Ms. Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican origin.
For several weeks she has been at the centre of a social media storm, with many people, including a government minister, questioning her right to represent the country.
She said she was a victim of “black hatred”, highlighting a particular form of xenophobia in South Africa known as “Afrophobia”, which affects people from other African countries.
Ms Le Roux, 28, was diagnosed with severe hearing loss at the age of one and has a cochlear implant to help her perceive sounds.
He said it took two years of speech therapy before he could say his first words.
After her win, the model and marketing manager said: “I am a proudly South African deaf woman and I know what it means to be excluded.
“I know now that I was put on this planet to push the limits and tonight I did that.”
