Renowned actor and L’Oréal Paris brand ambassador and spokesperson for Sub-Saharan Africa, The crowning takes place Sunday, 13 August, at Sun International’s flagship venue, the SunBet Arena at Time Square in Pretoria.
“Mbedu, in her role as judge, will bring her unique perspective and experiences to the competition, encouraging the contestants to embrace their individuality and walk confidently,” a press statement reads. “Her presence will inspire the finalists to focus not only on their external beauty but also on their inner strength and resilience.”
The The Woman King actor was announced as the beauty brand’s ambassador and spokesperson in May. A month later, in June, L’Oréal Paris became this year’s official makeup, skin and haircare sponsor.
“We are honoured to have the L’Oréal Paris Sub-Saharan ambassador Thuso Mbedu join the Miss South Africa 2023 judging panel,” L’Oréal Paris skin and hair marketing manager Ayanda MacKay said. “This partnership allows us to support and uplift women as they redefine what it means to be a beauty queen.”
“We believe that when women are empowered, they can achieve anything they set their minds to, and we are thrilled to be part of this incredible platform,” MacKay added.
The rest of the judging panel will be announced Tuesday.
Aside from Mbedu being added to the judging panel, media personality and businesswoman Bonang Matheba was also announced as the host of this year’s glittering finale.
“The Miss South Africa pageant is one of the biggest television productions in the country, so I am very excited to be hosting the show for a third time,” she said.
Matheba, who was part of the judging panel in 2014, first hosted the pageant in 2018, when it celebrated its 60th anniversary, and again in 2019, when Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss South Africa.
“I remember gathering around the television when I was growing up and watching people like Basetsana Kumalo and Peggy Sue Khumalo taking the title; I remember where I was,” she continued. “To grow from a judge to a host and one of the sponsors of this event is an absolute honour. I love that I can showcase my talent and be part of it. The fact that [it] is airing on the SABC means that it is accessible to all people, and that is very important to me.”
Matheba’s MCC, House of BNG, also returns as an official sponsor for this year’s Miss South Africa celebration.
Teasing what viewers can look forward to during the finale, she said: “It is going to be fantastic – the production is wonderful with some international names and is a true celebration of Women’s Month. Expect beautiful dresses – I am going to put on a show and bring all the sparkle and the magic that I can.”
The top 7 finalists in the running for the Miss South Africa crown are Anke Rothmann, Bryoni Govender, Homba Mazaleni, Jordan van der Vyver, Melissa Nayimuli, Nande Mabala and Natasha Joubert.
Kealeboga Nkashe was the last finalist to be voted from the pageant following the final episode of Miss South Africa’s five-part TV series Crown Chasers, which aired on Sunday.
