Melissa Nayimuli, a former Miss SA 2023 finalist, to represent South Africa at Miss Universe 2025
Meet 29-year-old Melissa Nayimuli who will represent SA at the Miss Universe pageant.
Image: Instagram
We finally have a representative for Miss Universe 2025!
On Wednesday, October 22, African Beauty International, an organisation that now holds the Miss Universe SA license, announced that Melissa Nayimuli will be representing our country in Thailand this November.
The organisation announced on Instagram with a video of the 29-year-old beauty queen, introducing her to the masses.
They captioned the post: “OFFICIALLY CROWNED MISS UNIVERSE SOUTH AFRICA 2025 is… Melissa Nayimuli (29-year-old) South African TV & Film Creative, Model, Voice Artist & Storyteller.
"She will represent our beautiful country this November in Thailand on the @missuniverse stage carrying a message of hope, unity, inclusivity & transformation,” the organisation said.
Nayimuli has also walked the Miss SA stage in 2023; however, she ended up being in the top 5.
The announcement was met with a fair share of excitement as our country will now have the opportunity to participate in the international beauty competition.
“CAN.NOT.DEAL!!!! And this on a random Wednesday afternoon, Petition to pop champers mid-week?” the former Miss SA creative director, Werner Wessels, commented.
Miss SA 2020, Shudufhadzo Musida, wrote: “Congratulations, Mellie. Go get 'em’.”
While Miss SA 2022, Ndavi Nokeri, added: “Congratulations, my gorgeous! So excited for your journey!”
As a 2020 contestant, she shared on the Miss SA Website: “I was born into a multicultural home with a Xhosa mother and a Ugandan father."
Nayimuli further shared that she experienced a fair share of xenophobia, and at the time, her advocacy was to tackle the issue of xenophobia.
“As exciting as this was, on one hand, I got to experience the full acceptance and love from being treated like a South African, and on occasion, with just the mere mention of my surname, I felt what it was like to be treated like a foreigner.
“I am entering Miss South Africa with the hopes of bringing unity within the African continent. I would like to start conversations that are aimed at repairing the damage caused by xenophobia, not only in South Africa but all over the African continent,” she said.
Nayimuli's announcement was made after it was revealed that Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala has been announced as the national director of Miss Universe SA.