New Miss SA Tiyani Makamu brings hope to hometown after Bronkhorstspruit water crisis

Share current article via EmailShare current article via FacebookShare current article via TwitterShare current article via LinkedInMasego SeemelaSenior journalist

Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowEnter fullscreen mode displaying this image.ExpandTiyani Makamu crowned the new Miss SA crown. Newly crowned Miss SA Tiyani Makamu says her win brings hope to her hometown, Bronkhorstspruit, as one of the residents who were affected last month by a widespread gastrointestinal illness outbreak due to unchlorinated and contaminated water supplied by the municipality.

The 27-year-old digital marketing entrepreneur was crowned Miss South Africa 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre on Saturday night, following in the footsteps of Qhawekazi Mazaleni. Sowetan spoke to Makamu the morning after her life changed.

The first night was intense, emotionally. It was taking time to kick in. I had little sleep, 20 minutes maximum, but it’s all good.

Tiyani Makamu was crowned as the new Miss SA. Picture: Supplied Did you have moments when you felt overwhelmed in this journey?

I cried a bit throughout the journey. I was very smart about it, though. I never cried onscreen. I always had my waterworks before we had to go on camera for the seven-part series [The Mandate]. There were challenging moments in between. I work full-time and run my own agency, so there was a huge time constraint when it came to getting everything done. During one of the top 19 episodes, we had a physical exercise challenge. I missed a step and twisted my ankle. Throughout the journey, the team had to take care of this person who was limping, but they continued pouring into me. I did, however, let out a very big cry when my parents got on stage during the finale. There was a whole crowd there, and I just let it out.

I’m a normal girl. I’m the first of three children and grew up in the small town of Bronkhorstspruit. I’m also a nerd. I love reading, creating websites and building amazing things using vibe coding and AI. I’m an AI ninja. I’m the girl in a hoodie in the early hours of the morning. I’m pretty much the typical girl next door who enjoys reading, building websites and living a normal life.

Tiyani Makamu was crowned as Miss SA 2026. Picture: Supplied What does this win mean for your hometown?

The one thing I can tell you is that they’ve already painted my mother’s wall. It says, ‘Miss South Africa lives here, 2026.’ The neighbours are very proud. They also had fireworks outside my gate. We’re a small town, and we’ve recently experienced a water crisis where the water was contaminated. It affected me too because I was home that weekend and became sick. However, it’s exciting to have something that brings hope. It’s exciting to see the people you grew up with. We were playing umgusha [indigenous skipping game] years ago, and now somebody is Miss South Africa. I think it speaks to possibility. I mentioned this in my impact speech during the finale: I want to see a South Africa that is alive with possibility. I want it to be a beacon of possibility where people can look at this girl who went to Bronkhorstspruit Primary [School] and Cultural High School and see what is possible.

What work goes into running your own agency?

My agency is a digital marketing agency. I work with small businesses on the digital marketing front, doing a lot of branding, marketing and promotional work. AI is something I’m introducing through what I’ve been able to build and the solutions I’ve been able to create. It’s critical because one of Empower Youth Africa’s pillars is digital innovation. It’s something I’m looking forward to championing across the different pillars because I believe it is key.

What can South Africans expect from your reign?

My reign will involve a lot of work at the grassroots level. I’ll be doing a lot of activations, and I have an entire Impact Fund to put to good use by investing back into entrepreneurs. My focus will be on young people and women, ensuring that more entrepreneurs are opportunity-ready. We’ll see a lot of workshops. As much as I believe in the power of digital, I also recognise the impact of the digital divide and the importance of meeting people where they are. We’ll be conducting ground-level workshops with entrepreneurs, ensuring they are business-ready and able to access the opportunities that exist within supply chains and their local communities.

Would you like to comment on this article?Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.