Clinical audiologist Romanda Hombir was crowned Miss World South Africa on 24 July 2026, but the win has sparked bitter controversy over the competition's rules. Many South Africans, including radio personality Sizwe Dhlomo, were left confused about the pageant's structure.
A Separate Licence for Miss World
The Miss South Africa pageant, long seen as the country's flagship beauty competition, no longer holds the licence to send its winner to either Miss World or Miss Universe. As a result, entirely separate organisations now handle each of those international pageants locally. This change has left many wondering what Miss World South Africa actually represents.
Mixed Heritage Sparks Debate
Romanda Hombir, who is a clinical audiologist and the founder of the Caring Purpose Foundation, has mixed heritage, including Swati, Zulu, German, and Mongolian roots. In an SABC News interview, she explained this, drawing comparisons to Chidimma Adetshina's controversy. Adetshina is an American who has been at the centre of a court fight for residence in South Africa as Miss Nigeria.
Confusion and Explanations
For many South Africans, just like Sizwe, the confusion is understandable. The post on Sizwe's social media account clearly caught the attention of many, with some flooding the comments section with explanations. @Pcrazy_xhirame shared the same confusion as Sizwe: "Miss World SA 2026 claps back at nationality doubts in SABC interview."
A Separate Competition, Separate Rules
The Miss World South Africa competition is now a separate entity from the Miss South Africa pageant. This means that the winner of Miss World South Africa will not automatically represent South Africa at the Miss World competition. Instead, the winner will represent South Africa at the Miss World competition, but under a separate licence. This has left many questioning the purpose and relevance of the Miss World South Africa competition.
A New Reality for South African Pageants
The change in licence holders has created a new reality for South African pageants. The Miss South Africa pageant can no longer send its winner to either Miss World or Miss Universe, and instead, the winners will be chosen from a separate competition. This has left many wondering what the future holds for South African pageants and how they will adapt to this new reality.
The controversy surrounding Romanda Hombir's win as Miss World South Africa has sparked a debate about the competition's rules and the purpose of the pageant. As the competition continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how it will adapt to the new reality of separate licence holders.
Source: Briefly
