KaNyamazane-born beauty queen, Bajabulise Thela has been crowned Miss African Beauty Universe South Africa 2026.
This has earned her the opportunity to represent South Africa at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in San Juan, Puerto Rico in November 2026. The 23-year-old received the crown from outgoing titleholder, Melissa Nayimuli after emerging victorious at the Barnyard Theatre in Pretoria on Saturday evening, July 18.
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The beauty queen claimed the title after making it through a competitive pageant process that consisted of 30 finalists down to nine before the grand finale. Thela’s national title is the latest milestone in a pageant journey that began at a young age. She made history as the inaugural Miss Teen Grand winner in 2021 before being crowned Miss Crowning Mpumalanga in 2024.
Reflecting on her journey in a social media post, she said her talent started with a childhood love of being in front of the camera. “What began as a passion, grew into a platform that built my confidence and taught me discipline, gave me a voice, and opened doors I never imagined,” she wrote.
Following her crowning, Thela thanked everyone who had supported her along the way saying, “To everyone who has believed in me, supported me, encouraged me, prayed for me, and stood by my side, thank you. I carry your love with me every step of this journey. I am who I am today because of God, my family, my friends, my supporters, and every person who reminded me to never stop believing.”
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Beyond pageantry, Thela is a qualified flight attendant and model with a passion for community empowerment. She established the Mambane Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to tackling hunger, improving food security and uplifting disadvantaged communities. She now hopes to make South Africa proud when she takes to the Miss Universe stage later this year.
