Miss South Africa 2025, Qhawekazi Mazaleni, is determined to make her isiXhosa book accessible to more readers across the country.
Image: Zahira Amod
The Miss South Africa 2025 finale took place on Saturday, October 25, at the SunBet Arena in Time Square, Pretoria.
Among the finalists, one young woman stood out for her clear purpose and community-driven vision.
Qhawekazi Mazaleni, a 24-year-old speech therapist from East London, was crowned Miss South Africa 2025.
During her final address on stage, Mazaleni shared her mission with the audience and judges.
“To break the cycle of unemployment, we have to start by addressing its root causes,” she said.
“With 81 percent of our grade 4 learners struggling to read for meaning, it shows us how our youth are left far behind before they have a fighting chance. As your Miss South Africa, my heart’s intent is to ensure inclusive education.”
She explained that this mission had already begun long before she entered the competition.
“I’ve already started this mission by publishing a children’s book in isiXhosa, which I plan to translate into every South African language,” she said.
“I’ve further secured a partnership with a leading online bookseller to give opportunities to multilingual illustrators, authors and publishers. I will also create literacy workshops for parents, caregivers and teachers in underserved communities, because transformation iqala (starts) at our foundations.”
Mazaleni is the author of “Amasele Amdaka” (“The Dirty Frogs”), a children’s book written in isiXhosa to promote home-language literacy and inclusive education.
As a speech therapist, she was inspired to write the story after struggling to find accessible isiXhosa materials for one of her young patients with cerebral palsy.
That experience, she said, opened her eyes to the broader gap in representation in early education.
“The book is more than just a story for children,” she explained.
“It is part of a larger mission to tackle South Africa’s high illiteracy rates and to give children confidence in their own languages.”
Earlier this year, Mazaleni shared her excitement on Instagram after receiving the first printed copies. “What a full circle moment,” she wrote.
“I became so overwhelmed holding the first copies. My heart is so full and I can’t wait for you to share this with your children, nephews and nieces."
"I will be translating it into more languages soon. My heart’s intent has always been inclusion and representation through education. This is just the first step to a beautiful journey. I am so grateful.”