For as long as the pageant has been running, previous Miss South Africa entrants were not allowed to have children or to be married. Now the rules have changed, and the organisation is allowing married women and women with children to enter the competition.

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES

 Miss South Africa CEO, says Stephanie Weil says that this year, they have pushed more boundaries than ever before. "We are delighted to welcome all women ready to step onto our leadership platform and be the next ambassador for South Africa,' she says in a statement. "We, as women, are so many things; we can be business owners, leaders, innovators, influencers, mothers, daughters, philanthropists, role models, ambassadors and queens, all at the same time." She adds that the competition wants to showcase the multi-diverse nature. "Miss South Africa is no longer just a one-night pageant ?" viewers are really going to get to know the finalists during the television show.''

THROUGH THE YEARS

The beauty contest was first formed in 1956 and only white unmarried women without children and families could enter the competition.  It was only in 1977 that all races were allowed to compete in the Miss SA competition. Before, people of colour competed in the Miss Africa South pageant, which was renamed Miss Black South Africa in 1977. Yet the rule of no marriage and kids continued. Many felt for years that this was discriminatory, and the Mrs SA pageant was later formed to accommodate married women with children. As the years progressed, they have also welcomed transgender women to enter the competition. The first transgender woman entry was Lehlogonolo Machaba who entered in 2021.