The next woman to represent South Africa at Miss Supranational could come from anywhere in the country – and a new local leadership team is preparing the platform that will help guide her journey to one of the world’s leading pageant stages.
Miss Supranational South Africa will now operate under the directorship of Joani Jacobs and the team behind Mrs South Africa, with a national search and development programme planned ahead of the country’s next appearance in the competition. The move marks a fresh phase for Miss Supranational locally, and comes four years after Lalela Mswane made history as the first South African woman to win the international crown in 2022.
For Jacobs, the focus is on finding a woman ready to carry South Africa’s hopes onto the global stage, while building a title that has relevance well beyond a single night.
“There is something incredibly exciting about what South African women can bring to this competition. Lalela’s win showed that we can compete at the very highest level. We now have the chance to build on that legacy and give the next woman the kind of preparation and support that allows her to really make the most of everything that comes with it,” she says.
Founded in Poland in 2009, Miss Supranational has become one of the best-known competitions on the international pageant calendar. It forms part of the annual Festival of Beauty in Nowy Sącz, which draws delegates from around the world and attracts a global television and online audience.
But what sets the competition apart is how much happens beyond the final stage. Contestants are observed throughout the programme and assessed through interviews, public appearances, and their conduct during the competition. Communication ability, digital presence, and audience engagement have become increasingly important alongside runway performance and stage presence.
Delegates also take part in Miss Supranational’s From the Ground Up social impact initiative, which focuses on the work contestants are doing in their own communities and how they intend to use the opportunities created by the platform.
Jacobs adds that the Miss Supranational title offers a platform that can help the winner build her international profile and professional network over the course of her reign, rather than simply marking the end of a competition. That is one of the reasons the South African programme needs to focus as much on development as selection, she notes.
“Winning should be the beginning of the journey, rather than the destination. Our role is not simply to prepare someone to win a competition, but to prepare them for what may follow from having that international platform, and to help them understand how they can use their influence meaningfully,” she says.
As the programme’s new director, Jacobs brings more than 20 years of experience in the modelling and pageant industries. She founded Ace Models International in 2005, which now operates through more than 30 franchises, and has led the Mrs South Africa organisation since 2011.
She will be supported by a highly experienced local team with strong track records in producing respected national programmes and success across national and international pageantry. PR Worx CEO Madelain Roscher and Cindy Nell join Miss Supranational South Africa as shareholders, with Roscher also overseeing public relations. Marlene Reddy-Ribeiro will lead operations, while Jacqueline Ferns and Matapa Maila will serve as board members.
The organisation will draw on the established selection, development, and operational processes already used within Mrs South Africa, giving the new Miss Supranational South Africa programme a proven structure from the outset.
Further details on entries, castings, and the national selection process will be announced in due course. Until then, the new team says its goal is to create a platform capable of giving the next local representative every chance to make her mark – and to build something lasting from the experience long after she leaves the stage.
