Actress and humanitarian Nomzamo Mbatha has been announced as the host for the Miss South Africa pageant 2020.  

Mbatha will be taking over from two-time host Bonang Matheba.  This year’s pageant will be held at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town.  

Mbatha said in a statement that she has always been a huge fan of the Miss South Africa pageant and so it is a dream come true to host this year’s show. “What the pageant has done in being a reflection of beauty, depth and power, not only for South African women but women all over the world, is something I truly admire.”

Mbatha is a champion of gender equality and recently delivered a lauded speech in her position as UN Eminent High-Level Champion on Gender Equality at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“There can be no equal future without the full and equal participation of all women and girls everywhere and this is the generation to accomplish that,” Mbatha said in her speech.

Her advice to this year’s Top 10: “Set your intentions, let your light shine and know that your superpower is being your truest self!”

Miss South Africa 2020 will take home a package of prizes and sponsorships worth in excess of R3m.

The finalists are Aphelele Mbiyo, Busisiwe Mmotla, Chantelle Pretorius, Jordan van der Vyver, Karishma Ramdev, Lebogang Mahlangu, Melissa Nayimuli, Natasha Joubert, Shudufhadzo Musida and Thato Mosehle.

For the first time in the history of the Miss South Africa pageant, the top three finalists (Miss South Africa 2020 and the two runners-up) will represent the country at the world’s three most prestigious pageants – Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Supranational.