The newly crowned Miss SA Mia Le Roux has made history by becoming the first deaf person to be crowned the reigning queen, at the ceremony held at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria.The pageant finals were marred in controversy for weeks, following an uproar regarding the citizenship of finalist Chidimma Adetshina, who withdrew a day before the pageant. Nompumelelo Maduna was crowned first-runner-up and Onalenna Constantin was second runner-up.The 28-year-old from Sasolburg-born model and student, said her win will help break barriers. “I want to create a space where people can feel more included and educate the included how they can help us,” said Miss SA addressing the media after the pageant. Prior to the competition, Le Roux said she felt that the people with her similar condition felt excluded, in most aspects of the country. “What I have observed is feeling excluded. Policies have not been put in place to represent someone like me. We are a diverse country, and we are allowed to ask for it to be more accessible for us,” said Le Roux. Meanwhile, the Neema Foundation for the Deaf has congratulated Le Roux, describing it as a ‘remarkable achievement. The Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation, said it agrees with Le Roux that as a deaf woman with a cochlear implant, she represents a community that often goes unheard. “Her victory shines a spotlight on the issues faced by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, bringing them into the mainstream conversation,” said the Foundation Chairperson, Itumeleng Motaung. The Foundation adds that the deaf community faces vast challenges ranging from negative social attitudes, stereotypes and prejudices, inadequate education, lack of access to information and services, and lack of career guidance and employment opportunities.
