The Miss South Africa competition took an unexpected turn when Mia Le Roux, the reigning Miss SA, announced that she would be withdrawing from the upcoming Miss Universe pageant, citing health concerns as the primary reason. The 22-year-old beauty queen, who has garnered both admiration and controversy during her reign, explained in a statement that she had been struggling with severe vertigo in recent weeks, a condition exacerbated by her deafness, which impacts her balance.
Mia’s decision to step down was met with mixed reactions, both in South Africa and beyond. While many supporters wished her a speedy recovery, others were quick to express their own views—among them, outspoken podcaster and activist Ntsiki Mazwai, who has never been shy about her opinions on Miss SA and the pageant world.
Shortly after Mia’s announcement, the Miss Universe South Africa organisation provided further clarification on her health status. The official statement confirmed that Le Roux had been battling severe vertigo in the past two weeks, a condition that directly impacts her balance, which, as the organisation noted, can be particularly challenging for someone with deafness. The statement underscored that the decision to withdraw from the competition had not been an easy one, but was made in consideration of her well-being.
“An Update: Mia, because of her condition within the past two weeks, has been suffering from severe vertigo. As we are all aware, deafness affects balance, the decision to withdraw was not an easy one,” Miss Universe SA shared on social media.
The announcement has sparked conversations across the country, with many rallying behind Mia for making what must have been a difficult decision, while others continue to scrutinise the timing and circumstances surrounding her withdrawal.
Ntsiki Mazwai, a controversial figure known for her outspoken views, didn’t hold back in sharing her thoughts on Mia’s decision. While Mazwai has been vocal in her support of Chidimma Adetshina—a former Miss South Africa contestant who withdrew from the competition last year—she did not shy away from commenting on Mia’s exit from Miss Universe.
In typical Ntsiki fashion, the podcaster initially shared her opinion but quickly retracted it after some backlash. Mazwai’s comments were seen as a mix of support and critique, with many perceiving her as taking a subtle jab at Mia’s decision to step down. Mazwai has long been a fan of Chidimma Adetshina, who she believes was unfairly treated by the public and the pageant system. After Chidimma withdrew from the competition, Mazwai had posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “bigger doors” would open for her.
Mazwai’s thoughts were also shaped by her general criticism of how public figures, especially women, are treated by the media and online trolls. She had previously spoken out against the cyberbullying that Adetshina faced, and her comments after Mia’s withdrawal were no different in tone. “Askies nana. A bigger door will open for you,” she had said of Chidimma in 2023, expressing hope that the young model would go on to even greater things.
