Miss SA Mia Le Roux: Has her eyes on the Miss Universe

Mia Le Roux (28) from Cape Town became the first deaf person to be crowned Miss South Africa. Now, her eyes are on the Miss Universe crown to encourage global inclusion of the differently abled.

Congrats on winning miss SA. What drove you to be so determined to win during the pageant?

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me and I am truly so grateful for this opportunity. I was determined to win this pageant as I am fighting for a space for the excluded, including myself. I know how challenging it is when you are capable and intelligent and you are not given a chance because of stigma. And knowing that so many others experience what I have experienced, I decided it was time to be brave and to fight for us.

The deaf community in SA has called your win a historic moment. How do you feel about this achievement?

⁠I feel incredibly humbled and privileged by this achievement as I know I broke a barrier for our community and I have been given a chance to be a voice for the excluded and I am planning to embrace it fully.

In your speech, you emphasised the importance of including minority groups in the greater society. What can abled people still do to include the deaf community?

⁠It is extremely important as we will miss out on the promise of South Africa if we are leaving people behind. We are missing out on people who are able to contribute a lot to South Africa in terms of the workforce, innovation and development. The abled people can ensure that there are captions on all tv, especially news bulletins. When speaking to us be mindful, each of us is different and it is best to ask us how we prefer to communicate. I am most comfortable when I can see your face clearly and when there is a minimum of background noise. For those who communicate via sign, there is a great app called Ava that you can download on your phone that transcribes live speech to text for you to read. I would also love to see SASL as an option in mainstream schools as it is an official language, and it could be a lot of fun for the abled community to learn how to sign as well!

What has been your highlight in the run up to the finals?

My highlight has been experiencing the phenomenal girls and the beautiful sisterhood. They have been so supportive and helpful, and open to assisting whenever it was required. They helped me on stage to get down the stairs whenever I was feeling a bit wobbly, as my balance is challenged. It is a part of my hearing loss.

What is next on your list to conquer?

Miss Universe to help bring my message to a global audience.

Mia’s beauty daily routine

I use my L’Oreal Paris products to wash and properly moisturise my skin every morning and evening to help keep my skin hydrated and protected. Wearing make-up every day can be challenging to the skin. I also make sure I drink a lot of water, and I use my Motherkind collagen daily to help with that glow from within.