WHO IS CYNTHIA SHANGE?
Cynthia Shange made history as the first black woman to represent South Africa at Miss World back in 1972. While the first black woman to be crowned Miss SA was Jacqui Mofokeng in 1993, here’s how Cynthia was sent to Miss World. The beauty queen started her modelling career in 1970, according to Briefly.

 
She won the Miss Natal title she then became Miss Africa South. This afforded her the opportunity to compete at the Miss World pageant as Miss Africa South. Due to this being during the apartheid era in South Africa, there were two beauty titles in Mzansi at the time. So, Cynthia was not a Miss SA titleholder, but a Miss Africa South titleholder.

Cynthia hails from Lamontville, Durban. The beauty queen married professional soccer player and journalist Derrick Thema, who has since passed away. She is a mother of four – Banele, Sihle, Archie and Nonhle.

WHERE IS THE BEAUTY QUEEN NOW?
Cynthia venture into the acting space where she starred in South Africa’s first black feature film, Udeliwe in 1975. She then went on to star in the Shaka Zulu in 1986 as well as many other shows.

Her most notable role is as MaNkosi Buthelezi, mother of Thandaza on SABC 2’s Muvhango. She is believed to have been living in Meadowlands, a suburb in Soweto, Gauteng in the 2000s.

Cynthia
Cynthia Shange was the first black model to represent SA at Miss World. Images via Instagram @nonhle_thema.
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