Radio and TV personality Thando Thabethe joined by former Miss SA Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni and fashion designer Khosi Nkosi have been selected as judges to handpick this year's Miss SA top 30.

They will be joined by body positive activist Tracey-Lee Lusty Horwitz, business mogul Koo Govender, magazine editor Makhosazana Zwane-Siguqa and actor Simoné Nortmann.

“Being a part of the Miss South Africa judging panel is always such an honour for me because I am part of a group of incredibly powerful women that are sitting together and choosing the next ambassador for South Africa," Laurie-Mthombeni said.

“This is essentially a woman that will go on to represent us internationally. Sitting on this panel is something I do not take for granted. I understand that this is a huge job interview and I always encourage the entrants of the pageant to treat it as such.”

The top 30 will be announced on Monday night.

“Being part of the judging panel for Miss South Africa 2022 has been exciting and an experience I will forever treasure,” said Thabethe. 

“Miss SA has proven to be a platform that celebrates women from all backgrounds and has solidified the idea that beauty isn’t a mould that one has to fit into. The women we have seen so far have been simply exceptional and I cannot wait to help change another young woman’s life.”

Nkosi added: “With the brand Khosi Nkosi being involved with Miss South Africa for the past couple of years, it’s a befitting honour and humbling experience to be involved in the selection process of Miss South Africa 2022.

"The calibre of entries showcased the vast facets of our country and how much impact the pageant holds in changing the lives of the entrants. The deliberation process may have taken longer than we had anticipated, however, I believe we have chosen a strong Miss SA Top 30.”