Ayanda Thabethe has officially been crowned Miss Cosmo South Africa 2026, marking her return to the pageantry world and setting the stage for her international journey to Vietnam later this year.
The television presenter, host, content creator and entrepreneur will represent South Africa at the international Miss Cosmo competition, which is expected to culminate in Vietnam in December.
Thabethe is no stranger to pageantry. She previously represented the country as Miss South Africa first runner-up in 2022 and Miss Supranational South Africa 2023.
However, her latest return comes after several years of building her career beyond the pageant circuit.
She has established herself as a familiar face on South African television, having worked across platforms including ‘Expresso’ and ‘Afternoon Express’, while also developing her career in hosting, content creation, brand partnerships, public speaking and entrepreneurship.
Thabethe completed her academic studies in dietetics and human nutrition and is currently in the process of completing her required community service.
For Thabethe, returning to pageantry at this stage of her life is less about winning a crown and more about using it as a platform for impact.
“I’m returning to pageantry as a woman who has grown beyond the crown. The last few years have allowed me to build a career, find my voice in media and, most importantly, understand what I want my platform to stand for,” she says.
“I’m not coming back simply to compete; I’m coming back with something to contribute. Miss Cosmo gives me an opportunity to take the work I have already started in South Africa and place it on a global stage.”
At the centre of Thabethe’s Miss Cosmo South Africa campaign are two initiatives, Crown Confidence and Sustain Her, which reflect her focus on empowering young women.
Crown Confidence is aimed at helping young women develop confidence, communication skills and the ability to articulate their value and aspirations.
Drawing from Thabethe’s own experiences in pageantry, media and public speaking, the initiative provides young women with practical tools to find their voices, communicate confidently and pursue opportunities.
Sustain Her, meanwhile, addresses two issues affecting young women: period poverty and textile waste.
The initiative was developed in collaboration with the University of Johannesburg, with lecturers Zanné De Meillon and Danial Carsten, and in partnership with non-profit company Love Our City.
Through the initiative, donated clothing and textile waste are repurposed into reusable menstrual pads and menstrual dignity kits for young women.
To date, more than 1 968 reusable sanitary pads have been produced, while 320 girls have received menstrual dignity kits, with another 148 kits prepared for distribution.
The initiative also incorporates confidence and leadership workshops through its partnership with Crown Confidence, taking its focus beyond menstrual products to address some of the confidence and opportunity gaps faced by young women.
A contribution of R165 can sponsor a reusable menstrual dignity kit.
Donations are facilitated through Love Our City, with eligible contributions to a Section 18A-approved organisation potentially qualifying for a tax deduction, subject to South African Revenue Service requirements. – IOL Entertainment
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