Gasp! Miss South Africa, Ziphozakhe Zokufa, has "stolen" Bonang Matheba's R80000 Gert-Johan Coetzee dress.

Zokufa is in the US where she is enjoying the build-up to the 63rd Miss Universe finals on January 25.

She slipped into a gorgeous green chiffon flowing evening gown with crystal details around the bust for a dinner party this week. She topped it off with gold high heels, gold button earrings, red lipstick and had her hair tied back. But something about the dress looked familiar.

Ah, yes, Matheba had a similar look for the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards, which were held in Durban last June.

But Coetzee, who needed a team of 12 to help design Zokufa's two gowns for the upcoming pageant, said it was deliberate.

He said: "It's not about who wore it better, it's about showing the world what we're made of. That is one of the best dresses I've made and it fits her so well."

Zokufa, a TV production student from Port Elizabeth, was crowned Miss South Africa in December after Rolene Strauss became Miss World. Zokufa was her first princess.

"Thank you ever so much @gertjohancoetzee for this amazingly beautiful gown. #ProudlySouthAfrican #Africanjewel #missuniverse xXx," Zokufa said in a caption to one of the pictures in which she shows off the dress.

According to Miss SA licence holder, Sun International, Zokufa will wear two gowns - the national costume which was designed by Gregg Maragelis from the Cape Town College of Fashion Design. For the finale, she will wear the gown created by Coetzee.

About the two dresses he sent Zokufa off to Miami with, Coetzee said: "The first dress is very Hollywood red carpet with an African influence, while the second is a long-train white dress with a lot of lace. It has an open back and fits her beautifully."