Guys, it looks like Mzansi isn’t clapping for Cindy Mahlangu this time.
The former The Queen actress has just been unveiled as one of the judges for the Miss South Africa 2025 finale, and instead of applause, the timeline is filled with question marks and eye-roll emojis.
On Wednesday, 22 October 2025, the official Miss SA Instagram page proudly introduced Cindy as one of this year’s co-judges.
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“Introducing Miss SA 2025 finale judge. An actress, model, and influencer who believes in the power of true confidence and self-belief. @cindy_thando brings her signature style, authenticity, and insight into what it means to own your light on and off the stage,”
the organisation wrote.
The event will be hosted by Nomalanga Shozi, but let’s just say Cindy’s appointment didn’t go down as smoothly as expected.
“We Wanted a Queen, Not a Celebrity Like Cindy Mahlangu”
Mzansi wasted zero time questioning what exactly qualified Cindy for the job.
Some felt that pageant judging should be left to former beauty queens, not actresses with brand deals and Instagram aesthetics.
@lwazilunye shaded: “On what grounds? She’s an actor — and not a famous one at that. In what capacity is she a judge?”
@Nelly_Khuzway added: “Any former Miss SA couldn’t do the job? Since they’re on bad terms with Zozi and Liesl, they decided to call Cindy? Make it make sense.”
@KhozaVucee wrote: “Love her, neh? But she’s not a model. Yoh, respect the models, sana. Bring in the former queens if you have to, but don’t do this.”
Even @Sphoza_01 chimed in: “Care to explain why someone with no experience in your field is meant to judge?”
“The Miss SA Brand Is Losing Its Sparkle”
Meanwhile, some fans went for the Miss SA organisers, accusing them of turning a once-prestigious competition into a “celebrity influencer show”.
A user named @AquaSereia didn’t hold back: “This year’s Miss SA is boring. No Miss Universe license. No Miss Supranational license. They lost the Miss World one ages ago. Now there’s a new Miss Universe South Africa. The whole thing feels off.”
Others defended Cindy, saying her confidence and public poise could still make her a good fit — but that didn’t stop the dragging.
At this point, Mzansi’s verdict is split: half are rooting for Cindy’s glow-up, while the rest want the organisers to bring back actual beauty queens.
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The post Mzansi Side-Eyes Cindy Mahlangu’s Miss SA 2025 Gig: “Since When Does Acting Make You A Pageant Judge?” appeared first on SurgeZirc SA | Breaking News, SA News, World News, Videos.
