Qhawekazi Mazaleni Biography: Career, Age, Net Worth, Awrads, Miss South Africa

Qhawekazi Mazaleni rose to national attention in October 2025 when she was crowned Miss South Africa 2025. A 24-year-old Eastern Cape native with a professional background in speech, language and hearing therapy, Qhawekazi combines academic rigor with community-focused advocacy.

This biography explores her early life, education, career, pageant journey, public platform and what her win means for South Africa.

Early life and roots

Born and raised in the Eastern Cape, Qhawekazi Mazaleni’s upbringing grounded her in Xhosa culture and multilingual contexts. Various local profiles note she’s from Gonubie, East London, while other community pieces also reference Butterworth — a reflection of the regional ties and childhood influences that shaped her. Her family and community have been described as deeply supportive, celebrating her achievements from her school pageant beginnings to the national crown.

Education and professional training

Qhawekazi pursued higher education in the health sciences, earning a degree in Speech, Language and Hearing Therapy from a South African university. She is furthering her studies with a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology (with a focus on autism), demonstrating a clear commitment to evidence-based practice and specialist care for neurodiverse children. Her academic focus is tightly linked to her public advocacy: inclusive education, early childhood language development and access to therapeutic services in under-resourced communities.

Career and community work

Before stepping into the Miss South Africa spotlight, Qhawekazi worked as a speech therapist — serving patients in clinical and community settings. Public profiles and professional listings show roles including community service at regional hospitals and work with private therapy providers and foundations. Her clinical work involved language assessment, therapy planning and supporting children with communication challenges, especially those on the autism spectrum. Her professional experience gives her credibility when campaigning for inclusive education and better access to speech-language services nationwide.

The pageant journey: Miss South Africa 2025

Qhawekazi’s pageant journey culminated on 25 October 2025, when she was crowned Miss South Africa at a ceremony held at SunBet Arena in Pretoria. At 24 years old, she beat strong competition and earned acclaim for her poise, intelligence and heartfelt advocacy. Reports highlight that she is multilingual — fluent in isiXhosa, English and Afrikaans — and is learning additional South African languages to better connect with diverse communities. Her win positions her as a modern titleholder who blends professional expertise with cultural authenticity.

Platform and passions: inclusive education & autism advocacy

One of Qhawekazi’s central platforms is inclusive education: making classrooms and early learning environments accessible to children with communication and learning differences. Her academic work on autism gives her a specialist voice on neurodiversity and the interventions that support language, literacy and school inclusion. She advocates for better teacher training, early screening for speech and language delays, and community awareness programs that reduce stigma and increase referrals to professional services.

Public image and social media

Active on social platforms, Qhawekazi uses her public profile to share her educational journey, community initiatives and moments from the Miss South Africa experience. Her social media presence helps amplify her advocacy, recruit volunteers for outreach programs and build partnerships with NGOs and educational institutions. She also represents a new wave of pageant winners who emphasize service, professional experience and social impact as integral to the role.

Awards, recognitions and notable achievements

The crowning achievement so far is Miss South Africa 2025. Beyond the crown, Qhawekazi’s academic progress, clinical placements and community initiatives have been recognized by peers, universities and local media. Her affiliations with foundations and clinical settings add to a profile of a young professional committed to both practice and broader social change.

Personal qualities and public reception

Media profiles and interviews highlight Qhawekazi’s warmth, humility and clarity of purpose. She’s frequently described as purpose-driven and grounded—qualities that resonated with judges and the public. Her mastery of multiple languages and her choice to focus on specialist therapy for children demonstrate a blend of intellect and empathy.

What her win means for South Africa

Qhawekazi’s victory highlights several national themes: the importance of education and health, the visibility of neurodiversity advocacy, and the growing expectation that public figures bring professional credentials and measurable impact to traditional ambassadorial roles. As Miss South Africa, her platform can help spotlight policy gaps, mobilize resources and bring speech-language therapy into public conversation.

FAQS

Q: Who is Qhawekazi Mazaleni?

A: Qhawekazi Mazaleni is a 24-year-old speech, language and hearing therapist from the Eastern Cape who was crowned Miss South Africa 2025.

Q: When was Qhawekazi Mazaleni crowned Miss South Africa?

A: She was crowned Miss South Africa on 25 October 2025.

Q: What is Qhawekazi Mazaleni’s professional background?

A: She has a degree in Speech, Language and Hearing Therapy and is pursuing a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology with a focus on autism.

Q: What does Qhawekazi advocate for?

A: Her main platforms include inclusive education, early language intervention and greater access to speech and language therapy services.

Q: Where is Qhawekazi from?

A: She is from the Eastern Cape (profiles mention Gonubie, East London, and some reports reference Butterworth).

Conclusion

Qhawekazi Mazaleni represents a contemporary and inspiring archetype: a young professional who brings expertise, empathy and advocacy to a high-visibility role. Her background in speech-language therapy and her focus on inclusive education make her more than a pageant winner — she is a potential catalyst for social change in South Africa’s education and health systems. As she begins her reign as Miss South Africa 2025, many will watch how she leverages the crown to expand access to services, increase awareness on autism and support children’s communication needs across the nation.