SABC Cancels Miss Universe Broadcast, Peeps Reflect on Chidimma Adetshina After Miss SA’s Withdrawal

SABC Cancels Miss Universe Broadcast, Peeps Reflect on Chidimma Adetshina After Miss SA’s Withdrawal

  • The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) made a major decision after Miss South Africa Mia le Roux withdrew from the Miss Universe competition
  • The Miss Universe pageant was meant to be broadcast on SABC so that locals could support Mia le Roux 
  • Miss South Africa 2024 was the first deaf contestant to participate in the Miss Universe pageant, but her journey came to a sudden halt 

Mia le Roux withdrew from the Miss Universe competition due to vertigo. The SABC was scheduled to broadcast the Miss Universe pageant on SABC 3. 

Mia le Roux's withdrawal from Miss Universe prompts SABC to cancel broadcast
The Miss Universe pageant will not be broadcast by the SABC following Miss SA Mia le Roux's withdrawal. Images: @chichi_vanessa / @mialerouxx / Instagram / Misha Jordaan / Getty Images
Source: UGC

South Africans rallied behind Mia le Roux, who had to prioritise her health amid the Miss Universe pageant. The SABC made a drastic choice following her withdrawal. 

SABC avoids Miss Universe 

The SABC announced that S3 would no longer broadcast Miss Universe on 17 November 2024. The message followed news that South Africa would not be represented in that international beauty competition. 

Read also

Ntsiki Mazwai, Mzansi reacts to Mia Le Roux's decision to withdraw from Miss Universe pageant

What you need to know about Miss SA’s journey to Miss Universe

  • The Miss SA competition was marred by controversy after former Miss SA finalist Chidimma Adetshina's nationality was questioned. 
  • Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the Miss SA competition after allegations of fraudulent South African citizenship and later competed as Miss Universe Nigeria. 
  • Mia Le Roux was crowned Miss South Africa following the massive backlash Chidimma received as a Miss SA finalist. 
  • South Africans had high expectations for the Miss Universe pageant since Mia le Roux was the first deaf contestant to win Miss SA and the first to be in the global beauty competition.

SA reflects on Chidimma Adetshina

Some online users could not help but reflect on the past Miss South Africa drama leading up to the Miss Universe pageant. A netizen complained that South Africa was not represented at Miss Universe and posted a video of Chidimma at the competition. Online users debated whether South Africans had ruined their chances of being represented at Miss Universe since Chidimma is still in the running for Miss Universe. 

Read also

Miss SA Mia Le Roux withdraws from Miss Universe over health concerns, Mzansi's reactions mixed

@NgomaneHopewell asked:

"Is she Tsonga, Zulu, Pedi, Tswana, Ndebele, Venda, or what? I've never heard of a Chidimma surname in South Africa since I was born."

@Rakgadi_EM argued:

"You see the people we debate with. Chidimma is not her surname, bathong."

@Rabs2013 disagreed:

"We'd rather not be represented than to be represented by criminals and fraudsters."

@kheswa_thenjiwe wondered:

"We lost her? How? She was never ours."

@JojoMcebisi declared:

"We couldn't be represented by a Nigerian."

@DocPhuti added:

"No ways a Nigerian was going to represent us. Wa gafa, rakgadi? (Are you crazy?)"

@then_finally wrote:

"What did South Africa lose, exactly?"

Ntsiki Mazwai reacts to Mia Le Roux's Miss Universe exit

Briefly News previously reported Ntsiki Mazwai has expressed criticism of Mia Le Roux. In the past, she was vocal about supporting Chidimma Adetshina.

Following the statement, the Miss Universe South Africa organisation shared an update on Mia Le Roux's health concerns.

Read also

Mia Le Roux assures Mzansi she is working hard to win Miss Universe, SA says: "We're rooting for you"

The podcaster has been a fan of Chidimma Adetshina. She has spoken against the online bullies who dragged Chidimma. After she withdrew from Miss South Africa, Ntsiki assured her that bigger doors would open.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Rutendo Masasi avatar

Rutendo Masasi (Human-Interest editor) Rue Masasi is a Human Interest and Entertainment writer at Briefly News who graduated with a BA (Hons) in English from Rhodes University in 2018. Rue also has 2 years of experience in journalism and over four years of experience as an online ESL teacher. She has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her via email: rutendo.masasi@briefly.co.za