A beautiful mind. A bold voice. A life of purpose.
Ayanda G. Thabethe is a South African broadcaster, presenter, host, content creator, model and beauty queen whose journey has been shaped by a love for people, storytelling, communication and purpose.
About page
A concise professional summary
Ayanda G. Thabethe is a South African broadcaster, television presenter, host, content creator, speaker, model and beauty queen whose career spans media, entertainment, fashion, pageantry and social impact.
Her journey into the public eye began with a lifelong ambition to become Miss South Africa. In 2022, she achieved that dream as Miss South Africa First Runner-Up, a milestone that opened the door to a career in television and presenting. She went on to represent South Africa internationally as Miss Supranational South Africa 2023, placing in the Top 24 and earning the title of Miss Congeniality, before returning to the international pageant stage as Miss Cosmo South Africa 2026.
Beyond pageantry, Ayanda has established herself as a versatile media personality, with television experience across Expresso and Afternoon Express, alongside a growing career as a professional MC, moderator, interviewer and speaker. She has hosted corporate events, launches, pageants and industry conversations, and was nominated for Best Female TV Personality at the 2025 National Film & TV Awards.
Her work is equally rooted in purpose. Through Crown Confidence, Ayanda empowers young women with the confidence, communication skills and self-belief to recognise their value and use their voices. She has also recently joined Sustain Her, an established initiative led by the University of Johannesburg and Love Our City, bringing Crown Confidence’s focus on empowerment and personal development into the programme’s work addressing period poverty and textile waste.
In 2026, Ayanda was recognised as a Sunday Times A-Lister, reflecting her growing influence across media, entertainment, fashion and social impact.
At the heart of everything she does is a belief that visibility should create opportunity - and that a platform becomes most powerful when it is used to make an impact beyond yourself.
The longer story
From the girl with a microphone to the woman building a platform
Media & entertainment
Long before television cameras and international stages, Ayanda was fascinated by communication. She subsequently stepped into television, working as a presenter across Expresso and Afternoon Express, while expanding her work as an MC, host, interviewer and content creator.
Crown Confidence
Crown Confidence is Ayanda’s empowerment initiative created to help young women build the confidence to use their voices, communicate their value and pursue opportunities with conviction. Born from Ayanda’s own journey through education, pageantry, broadcasting and public speaking, the programme focuses on practical skills that extend far beyond the stage - including confidence, communication, self-advocacy, presentation and career readiness.
Global representation
In 2023, another international chapter followed when she represented South Africa at Miss Supranational. Beyond the competition itself, the experience strengthened her understanding of what it means to represent something larger than yourself - a country, a culture and a community of people who see themselves in your journey. Today, Ayanda has returned to the international pageant stage as Miss Cosmo South Africa 2026. But she returns differently. She returns with a career already built, a voice already developed and a clearer understanding of what she wants her platform to stand for.
This chapter is not about becoming visible. It is about making visibility count.
Values & philosophy
What guides the work
Purpose over perfection
Ayanda believes that a meaningful career is not simply measured by how far you go, but by what you do with the access you gain along the way.
Intelligence is part of the brand
Beauty may open a door. Preparation, substance and character determine what happens once you are inside.
Your voice is your power
Communication is one of the most powerful tools we possess. Ayanda believes that learning to articulate your ideas, your value and your vision can fundamentally change the opportunities available to you.
Representation matters
Ayanda is passionate about creating a more expansive picture of what an African woman can be - educated, ambitious, feminine, intelligent, culturally grounded, globally minded and unapologetically multifaceted.
Growth is a lifelong practice
Every stage of her career has taught her something new. Ayanda approaches each opportunity with curiosity, humility and the willingness to keep learning.
Leave something behind
The ultimate measure of success is impact. To inspire someone. To open a door. To change a conversation. To make someone believe that something is possible. That is the legacy worth building.
Achievements
Recognition & milestones
- 2022
Miss South Africa — First Runner-Up
First Runner-Up.
- 2023
Miss Supranational South Africa
International representative for South Africa; Top 24 finalist and Miss Congeniality.
- 2026
Miss Cosmo South Africa
Current national titleholder and South African representative to Miss Cosmo 2026.
- Television
Expresso
Presenter / field presenter across lifestyle and entertainment content.
- Television
Afternoon Express
Co-host, contributing to the show’s entertainment and lifestyle offering.
- Television
Celebrity MasterChef South Africa
Competitor, bringing her knowledge of nutrition and food together with the challenge of television competition.
- 2025
National Film & TV Awards — Best Female TV Personality nominee
Nominated for Best Female TV Personality for her work on Afternoon Express.
- 2026
Sunday Times A-Lister
Selected as one of the personalities recognised as an A-Lister to watch in 2026.
- 2026
Sowetan Magazine
Heritage issue cover star — September 2026.
- Founder
Crown Confidence
Founder of Crown Confidence, an empowerment initiative focused on confidence, communication, self-advocacy and career development for young women.
- Social impact
Sustain Her
Contributor to Sustain Her, a collaborative initiative addressing period poverty and textile waste through reusable menstrual products and dignity kits. Public reporting records more than 1,968 reusable sanitary pads produced and 320 girls receiving dignity kits to date.
Social impact
Dignity. Sustainability. Confidence.
Crown Confidence × University of Johannesburg × Love Our City
Sustain Her is an established social-impact initiative developed through the University of Johannesburg’s Fashion Design Department in partnership with Love Our City, addressing two interconnected challenges: period poverty and textile waste.
The programme repurposes donated and discarded textiles into reusable menstrual pads and dignity kits for girls experiencing period poverty, creating a solution that supports both young women and the environment.
CROWN CONFIDENCE'S ROLE
Ayanda’s involvement with Sustain Her is a recent collaboration, bringing Crown Confidence into an initiative that was already established by UJ and Love Our City. Through Crown Confidence, Ayanda adds a focus on confidence, communication, self-advocacy and personal development, complementing the practical menstrual-health support already provided through the programme. The belief is simple: young women deserve both the resources they need today and the confidence to pursue the opportunities of tomorrow.
Sustain Her has already produced more than 1,968 reusable sanitary pads, with 320 girls receiving menstrual dignity kits and a further 148 kits prepared for distribution. Each kit provides reusable menstrual products alongside essential hygiene items, helping girls manage menstruation with greater dignity while reducing reliance on disposable products.
University of Johannesburg contributes academic expertise, fashion design and student participation. Love Our City supports the community and social-impact implementation of the programme. Crown Confidence brings empowerment, confidence-building and communication into the experience. Together, the partnership is working towards a future where periods do not have to interrupt a girl’s education, dignity or ambitions.
Your contribution can make a tangible difference. A contribution of R165 can sponsor one reusable menstrual dignity kit, helping provide a girl with practical menstrual support while contributing to a more sustainable solution. Whether you sponsor one girl or help us reach an entire school, every contribution matters. Give dignity. Support confidence. Sustain her future.
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