Miss SA exits Miss Supranational as Bokang Montjane steps into local leadership

News24

08-05-2025

The Miss South Africa organisation has bowed out of Miss Supranational, with no plans to renew its licence.
This marks the second pageant licence the organisation has chosen not to renew, following Carol Bouwer's acquisition of the Miss World South Africa licence.
Miss South Africa 2010, Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala, has since taken the helm as the national director of Miss Supranational South Africa.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Miss South Africa organisation unexpectedly announced that its 2024 titleholder, Mia le Roux, would not represent the country at the upcoming Miss Supranational without explanation. However, as backlash and questions mounted in the comment section of their Instagram post, the organisation updated its post, saying it would also not renew its licence for the pageant.
Since then, Bokang Montjane, a former Miss South Africa titleholder, has announced her appointment as the new national director of Miss Supranational South Africa.
A closer look into the latest developments in the South African world of pageantry:
Miss South Africa pulls out of Miss Supranational:
On Wednesday, the Miss South Africa organisation expressed its 'heartfelt gratitude' to its supporters as it announced that le Roux would not participate in the 2025 iteration of the Miss Supranational pageant, which will take place in Poland next month.
'We deeply value the memories and connections of this event,' the organisation said. 'We wish the Miss Supranational organisation a spectacular event.'
See the full post here.
After initially only sharing the statement with the caption 'official statement,' the Miss South Africa organisation updated the caption with an explanation of its withdrawal from the pageant. The organisation said the decision to withdraw from Miss Supranational 2025 was made solely by the organisation, adding it was not attributed to Le Roux or the first runner-up, Nompumelelo Maduna.
Miss Supranational South Africa gets a new director:
Hot on the heels of Miss South Africa's announcement, Montjane-Tshabalala revealed she was appointed as the all-new national director of Miss Supranational South Africa.
In a lengthy statement on her social media, the Miss South Africa 2010 titleholder described joining the Miss Supranational family as a 'full circle' moment for her.
'The Miss Supranational organisation has built a strong and inspiring track record in South Africa, producing women who represent not just beauty and grace, but purpose, strength and vision,' she said. 'I am thrilled to be part of a global brand that celebrates these values and to have the opportunity to continue building a legacy in our country.'
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala (@bokang_m)
'My vision as the national director is to grow the Miss Supranational South Africa platform into one that not only shines on the international stage but also makes a tangible difference here at home. Together with our team, I aim to identify and support women who are passionate about making a difference – women who are ready to lead, uplift others, and proudly represent the rich diversity of our nation.'
Welcoming Montjane-Tshabalala to the Miss Supranational family, founder and president Gerhard Parzutka von Lipinski said he knew the South African franchise was in safe hands, given the beauty queen and businesswoman's understanding of international pageantry and love for the industry.
'My team and I will be supporting Bokang every step of the way, like we do with all our licence holders, as we embark on this brand-new start in South Africa together,' he said.
Not the first Miss South Africa to Miss Supranational transition:
At the beginning of the year, long-time Miss South Africa creative director Werner Wessels announced his resignation from the role and organisation. At the time, he kept mum on where he was headed but said:
'While this marks the end of one chapter, it's also the beginning of a new and exciting one. The best is yet to come, and I can't wait to share what's next.'
See the full statement here.
News24's attempt to find out what was next for Wessels proved fruitless at the time, as messages went unanswered. However, weeks later, the Miss Supranational organisation announced Wessels had joined their family as their brand development consultant.
'I am so proud and deeply humbled to be joining the Miss Supranational family, embracing the incredible vision set out by this organisation to inspire, unite and uplift,' Wessels said upon the announcement. 'I look forward to building on this vision along with the Miss Supranational organisation and continuing the legacy of aspirational and inspirational leaders across the globe.'
See the full statement here.
Founder and president Parzutka von Lipinski also expressed his excitement at Wessels' joining his organisation, saying he was a 'natural fit' to the Miss and Mister Supranational family. He added that he brought with him a wealth of experience and passion for the industry, which was similar to theirs.
Carol Bouwer Productions acquired the Miss World South Africa licence after decades of the Miss South Africa organisation holding it since the 1950s.