‘Cynthia Shange’ Meet first black model to represent SA at Miss World

Cynthia Shange was the first Black woman to represent South Africa at the Miss World pageant back in the 1970s.

Beauty queen Cynthia Shange was the first black model to represent South Africa at the Miss World pageant in 1972. Here’s six things to know about the beauty queen.

Miss World 2023 takes place on 9 March in Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India where Dr Claude Mashego will represent South Africa.

WHO IS THE FIRST BLACK MODEL TO REPRESENT SA AT MISS WORLD?

Cynthia Shange was the first black model to represent South Africa at the Miss World pageant in 1972. She is an icon in the pageant industry.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CYNTHIA SHANGE

• Cynthia Shange represented South Africa at Miss World. but she was not Miss SA. The first black woman to be crowned Miss SA was Jacqui Mofokeng in 1993. However, Cynthia won the Miss Natal title and thereafter became Miss Africa South, which afforded her the opporunity to compete at the Miss World pageant as Miss Africa South. At the time, there were two beauty titles in South Africa, due to apartheid.
• The beauty queen began her modelling career in 1970.
• Cynthia married Derrick Thema, a professional soccer player and journalist.
• She is a mom of four.
• Cynthia hails from Lamontville in KwaZulu-Natal.