Meet 18-year-old matriculant Zoalize, the 2024 Miss World SA

Zoalize Jansen van Rensburg has marvelled about how just last year she was in matric and on Saturday night she was crowned the second-ever Miss World South Africa.

On Sunday morning, she kicked off her reign in style in Sun City in North West.

The 18-year-old Faerie Glen, Pretoria East, scooped the coveted title, following in the footsteps of her predecessor, medical doctor Claude Mashego.

Adorned with her crown, styled with her Miss World SA sash and winning smile, Van Rensburg looked poised seated in a silver-white satin dress. An elegant mid-waist cape and silver strappy sandals with diamanté details completed her on-duty style.

After a speedy photo shoot on the picturesque grounds of The Palace of the Lost City, we took refuge in the jungle-themed décor of the Tusks Bar & Lounge.

“I only got four hours of sleep,” she said.

Van Rensburg worked as a digital and marketing executive at Scuderia Ferrari South Africa.

“This was my first job,” she said. “I have decided to end my time with them, which was the commitment I made to myself the moment I accumulated a title such as this. I want to dedicate my complete focus to it. They have supported me throughout and no bridges have been burnt.

“I was in physical school until grade 9. When Covid-19 hit we had to transfer to online schooling. After that whole experience, I fully transferred as an online student to a Cambridge international system, last year of grade 9 and from grade 10 into matric. I matriculated in 2023.

“The syllabus I worked through was a Cambridge system, I only got my results early January. I missed the majority of deadlines for the South African varsities, so I decided to take a gap year and focus on myself,” she said.

“I was lucky to get a job in the digital marketing space. I went in with no degree, no knowledge of it but I pushed myself to familiarise myself with what would be expected of me.”

The pageant's glitzy finale was televised live on S3 with ProVerb as its host.

Van Rensburg beat runners-up Romanda Hombi and Nande Mabala for the coveted title in an intimate black-tie attire extravaganza with candlelit and white roses tables centrepieces.

In attendance, Arena Holdings CEO Pule Molebeledi was joined by stars such as Carol Bouwer (president of Miss World SA Organisation and licence owner), Theo Nhlengethwa, Mthandazo Gatya, Aubrey Ngungama and Mahotella Queens.

Judges of the pageant included Rea Malatji, Ntsoaki Ledimo, Norman Cahi, Malaak Compton-Rock and Taibar Bacar.

“For the Sunday Times (one of the sponsors) to come on board to say we will work with you, Dr Norman Cahi to say I'll take care of the girls’ dental [needs], those little things seem insignificant when you talk about them because people want cars and houses, but we want to transform lives,” Bouwer said.

“I have learnt that it's not over until it's over. It’s been a difficult journey because I’m learning and having to teach as I go along. There is nothing more difficult than having to learn to fly a plane while it's on the go.

“The beauty is, I’ve surrounded myself with people who care about this journey and the girls who understand that I can only succeed if I have them with me.”   

Van Rensburg will make her way on an all-expenses paid trip and represent South Africa at the 72nd Miss World pageant set to stage in February 2025.

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