RSA

 RSA

For her native costumes, Miss Hibiscus Queen 1962 (Miss Universe Republic of South Africa 1962) Lynette Gamble celebrated her British heritage by wearing white dresses that are reminiscent of the Victorian era. South Africa is a former British colony and Lynette's home city of Durban is home to a huge community of British settlers and descendants.

For her native costume, Miss Hibiscus Queen 1963 (Miss Universe Republic of South Africa 1963) Ellen Liebenberg wore a dark green sleeveless dress and white gloves. The dark green color is a tribute to the uniform of the South Africa national rugby team while the floral designs on her skirt represent the protea, the national flower of South Africa.

For her native costume, Miss Hibiscus Queen 1964 (Miss Universe Republic of South Africa 1964) Gail Robinson wore a dark green, short-sleeved dress that celebrates the uniform of the South Africa national rugby team. Her dress also featured floral patterns that depict the protea, the national flower of South Africa.

For her native costume, Miss Hibiscus Queen 1965 (Miss Universe Republic of South Africa 1965) Veronika Prigge wore a dark green dress that celebrates the uniform of the South Africa national rugby team. Her dress also depicts the protea, the national flower of South Africa.

For her native costume, Miss Hibiscus Queen 1966 (Miss Universe Republic of South Africa 1966) Lynn De Jager depicted the Lady of Good Hope, which is the personification of South Africa as a country. Lynn's costume is based on the lady's attire based on South African postage stamps wearing a Roman-style robe.

For her native costume, Miss Hibiscus Queen 1967 (Miss Universe Republic of South Africa 1967) Wendy Ballenden wore a farmer's attire from the Boer community. Boers are the descendants of the early Dutch and various European colonists and settlers who arrived in the southern region of Africa during the 17th century. They developed their own community and speak Afrikaans, a daughter language of Dutch. The contemporary attire of male farmers from the Boer community is composed of a bucket hat, shirt and shorts. Wendy wore a feminine style of the said farmer's attire.

For her native costumes, Miss Protea 1968 (Miss Universe Republic of South Africa 1968) Monica Fairall celebrated her British heritage by wearing white country dress and hat that are reminiscent of the Victorian era. South Africa is a former British colony and Monica's home city of Durban is home to a huge community of British settlers and descendants.

Miss RSA 1975 Gail Anthony wore a national costume inspired by the Zulu tribe of South Africa. Gail's attire is inspired by the Umemulo ceremony which celebrate a Zulu girl's journey to womanhood. She wore a brown bra top, a short skirt, Zulu-style beaded necklaces and also depicts a tribal hairstyle.

Miss RSA 1976 Cynthia Claasen wore an all-yellow national costume inspired by the Zulu tribe of South Africa. Cynthia wore a tribal top and long skirt while also wearing a traditional Zulu hat.

For her national costume, Miss RSA 1977 Glynis Fester wore a gold dress and a head piece of ostrich feathers. The gold dress represents the natural gold wealth of South Africa. Meanwhile, the ostrich feathers represent the abundance of ostriches in South Africa with its plumes being used in fashion and accessories.

Miss RSA 1978 Margaret Gardiner wore an all-blue, fantasy national costume that celebrates the wildlife and mineral wealth of South Africa. Her headdress is composed of ostrich feathers and protea, the national flower of South Africa. Her leotard is designed with diamonds which are mined in her country. Margaret also wore a stylized, translucent cape designed with feathers which represent the skies and ocean backdrop of South Africa.

Miss RSA 1979 Veronica Wilson wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the gold wealth of South Africa. Veronica's golden costume is composed of a dress with long, flowing sleeves and a gold crown. Veronica was later awarded 2nd runner-up in the Best National Costume competition.

Miss RSA 1981 Daniela di Paolo wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the gold wealth of South Africa and her Italian heritage. Daniela's golden costume is composed of a flowing, Roman-style gown and a gold crown.

Rapport Miss South Africa 1982 Odette Scrooby wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the wildlife and mineral wealth of South Africa. Her gold, sleeveless dress is designed with diamonds, copper and silver; important minerals which are mined in her country. Odette also wore a stylized cape designed with ostrich feathers.

Rapport Miss South Africa 1983 Leanne Hosking wore a national costume that celebrates the wildlife of South Africa, particularly the zebra and the ostrich. Leanne wore a fashionable dress that depicts Zebra stripe patterns. Meanwhile, her headpiece and the top frills of  her dress are made of black ostrich feathers.

For her national costume, Rapport Miss South Africa 1984 Letitia Snyman celebrated her Boer heritage by wearing a traditional voortrekker dress. Voortrekker are the Boers who left the Cape colony and migrated northwards to the interior regions of modern-day South Africa. Boers are predominantly of Dutch origin and Letitia's Voortrekker attire has strong Dutch influence, composed of a blue dress with a white mantle and a white bonnet.

For her national costume, Miss Universe South Africa 1995 Augustine Masilela celebrated her Sotho heritage by wearing a sleeveless gown made of gold, shweshwe fabric. Shweshwe is a traditional material that originated from the Sotho tribe and has been used for clothing among Bantu ethnic groups in South Africa. Her white gloves and the bottom part of her gown features white frills. Augustine also wear a white cap crown which symbolizes fertility in several African cultures.

Miss Universe South Africa 1996 Carol Becker wore a national costume that celebrates the wildlife of South Africa, particularly the zebra and the ostrich. Carol wore a fashionable dress that depicts Zebra stripe patterns. Meanwhile, her hat, skirt train and the frills of her gloves are designed with black ostrich feathers.

Miss Universe South Africa 1997 Mbali Gasa wore a national costume that celebrates Freedom Day. In South Africa, Freedom Day commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held and the new constitution introduced. Mbali wore a carnival attire featuring a gold top and a festive multicolored skirt. She also wore a gold carnival headpiece.

Miss South Africa 1997 (Miss Universe South Africa 1998) Kerishnie Naiker celebrated her Indian heritage by wearing a national costume with strong Tamil influences. Tamil people from India came to Natal province of South Africa in the 19th century to work as indentured laborers. A descendant of that community, Kerishnie's attire is composed of traditional Tamil jewelry and fabrics which are styled in Zulu fashion.

Miss South Africa 1998 (Miss Universe South Africa 1999) Sonia Raciti wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the wildlife and mineral wealth of South Africa. Her translucent, sleeveless dress is designed with gold tinsel while her hair and the top frills of her dress are adorned with black ostrich feathers.

Miss South Africa 1999 (Miss Universe South Africa 2000) Heather Hamilton wore a national costume that celebrates the wildlife of South Africa, particularly the leopard and the ostrich. Heather wore a fashionable dress that depicts leopard print patterns. Meanwhile, her hair and feather boa are designed with ostrich feathers.

Miss South Africa 2000 (Miss Universe South Africa 2001) Jo-Ann Strauss wore a national costume the celebrates the Xhosa and Zulu tribes of South Africa. She wears a black, traditional Xhosa dress with the train designed with ostrich feathers. Jo-Ann also wears a traditional Zulu hat which symbolizes fertility.

Miss South Africa 2001 (Miss Universe South Africa 2002) Vanessa Carreira wore a national costume that celebrates the Ndebele tribe of South Africa. Wearing traditional Ndebele jewelry and accessories, her dress features  tribal designs and multicolored patterns. Vanessa also carried a small tribal vase with a beaded handle.

Miss South Africa 2002 (Miss Universe South Africa 2003) Cindy Nell wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the mineral wealth of South Africa. Her sky blue gown, which is made of lace and silk, is embellished with crystals that were mined in her country.

Miss South Africa 2003 (Miss Universe South Africa 2004) Joan Ramagoshi wore a national costume that celebrates the 10 years of democracy in South Africa. Her black and white, Xhosa-style gown symbolizes peace and harmony in her country. Her long skirt features early rock art made by the San people while her headdress is inspired by the Zulu kings and is made of ostrich feathers. Her attire also features the image of Nelson Mandela, the elected president of South Africa in 1994 after apartheid has been abolished.

Miss South Africa 2004 (Miss Universe South Africa 2005) Claudia Henkel wore a national costume that celebrates various aspects of South Africa. Her top attire is embellished with gold, bronze and crystals, which represent the country's mineral wealth. Her tribal accessories celebrate the Sotho and Ndebele tribes of South Africa. The ostrich feather headdress and short skirt symbolize the wildlife. Finally, the stylized cape features artworks about South Africa depicting its cities, peoples and culture.

Miss South Africa 2005 (Miss Universe South Africa 2006) Thuli Sithole wore a national costume that celebrates the Tsonga tribe of South Africa. Wearing traditional Tsonga attire of a shirt, skirt and wraparound cloth, Thuli also wore tribal accessories. She also performed the Xibelani dance, which is the traditional dance of Tsonga women.

Miss South Africa 2006 (Miss Universe South Africa 2007) Megan Coleman wore a national costume the celebrates the Zulu and Ndebele tribes of South Africa. Her white gown, which also features leopard print, represents traditional Zulu clothing. Meanwhile, the tribal beading across her gown, gold choker, armlets and accessories are of Ndebele origins.

Miss South Africa 2007 (Miss Universe South Africa 2008) Tansey Coetzee wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the wildlife and mineral wealth of South Africa. Her blue, ankle length dress is made of silk and is designed with crystals. Her dress also features ostrich and peacock feathers.

Miss South Africa 2008 (Miss Universe South Africa 2009) Tatum Keshwar wore a national costume that depicts a Zulu bridal attire. The top part of her attire depicts leopard print which symbolizes honor and courage. Tatum also wore a black leather skirt, a traditional hat, beaded accessories and held a bridal sceptre.

Miss South Africa 2009 (Miss Universe South Africa 2010) Nicole Flint wore a national costume that celebrates the Xhosa tribe of South Africa. Nicole's Xhosa attire is composed of a head wrap, traditional dress and a flowing sleeve, all of which are in different shades of green.

Miss South Africa 2010 (Miss Universe South Africa 2011) Bokang Montjane wore a national costume that celebrates the Pedi and Ndebele tribes of South Africa. Her blue gown and head wrap feature Pedi tribal design while the beaded necklaces and accessories are of Ndebele origins. Beadwork depicting the flag of South Africa is also featured on her gown.

Miss South Africa 2011 (Miss Universe South Africa 2012) Melinda Bam wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the mineral wealth and national symbols of South Africa. Her customized body suit is embellished with crystals and diamonds while her sceptre and gown part of her attire represents the gold wealth of her country. The protea, the national flower of South Africa is depicted on her golden sceptre while her crown is inspired by the coat of arms of South Africa.

Miss South Africa 2012 (Miss Universe South Africa 2013) Marilyn Ramos wore a national costume that celebrates various aspects of South Africa. Her Zebra-striped maillot represents the wildlife. Her hat and beaded accessories are from the Zulu tribe. Meanwhile, her gold jewelry and tribal designs on her customized cape are of Ndebele origins. Additionally, the flag of South Africa is also integrated among the designs on her cape.

For her national costume, Miss South Africa 2014 Ziphozakhe Zokufa wore a flowing, zebra-striped dress that represents the wildlife of her country. Meanwhile, the beadworks and accessories she wore are from the Ndebele tribe of South Africa.

Miss Universe South Africa 2015 Refilwe Mthimunye wore a national costume that celebrates the gold wealth of South Africa. Her all-gold attire is composed of a leotard, a crown and a translucent overskirt. She also held a war shield which is common among Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi and Ndebele tribes.

Miss South Africa 2016 Nthandoyenkosi Kunene celebrated her Swazi heritage via her national costume. Wearing a yellow stylized maillot, Nthandoyenkosi also wears a traditional skirt and ceremonial tassels which symbolize chastity in Swazi culture. Her headdress is made of yellow feathers and represents the rising sun. She also wears tribal accessories and carries a ceremonial spear.

Miss South Africa 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters wore a fantasy national costume that celebrates the protea, the national flower of South Africa. Her attire is composed of a bodice, head piece, armlets, over skirt and boots that depicts the stems and petals of the protea.

Miss South Africa 2018 Tamaryn Green wore a national costume inspired by the blue crane, the national bird of South Africa. Tamaryn's attire is composed of a light blue, long-sleeved coat with a customized coattail and a stylized mask, all of which are designed with crystals and bluish-gray feathers. She also wore stockings that depict the long legs of the blue crane.

For her national costume, Miss South Africa 2019 Zozibini Tunzi wore an original concept in her campaign to stop violence against women. Zozibini wore a white bodysuit that features traditional Xhosa patterns as a tribute to her Xhosa heritage. She carries a wave structure made of ribbons that depicts the colors of the South African flag. Each ribbon is inscribed with love letters addressed towards South African women. To complete her look, she wore a gold headdress depicting the sun.

For her national costume, Miss Universe South Africa 2020 Natasha Joubert wore an original concept to celebrate the children of South Africa. Natasha wore a white gown with long, flowing fabrics that has been printed with drawings made by young South African children. The drawings tell the story of pre-school children’s personal experiences of the lockdown that happened and how the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted their lives. To complete her gown, traditional Ndebele beadwork were added as her skirt.

Miss South Africa 2021 Lalela Mswane wore a national costume that depicts a white dove. In many cultures around the world, the white dove is a symbol of peace and Lalela's costume shows that in South Africa, lasting peace can be achieved. Wearing a silver headpiece and clad in a white body suit lined with feathers, Lalela performed a ballet dance to symbolize the dove of peace.

Miss South Africa 2022 Ndavi Nokeri wore a national costume that celebrates various aspects of South Africa. She wore a dress that is inspired by her Tsonga culture that features traditional fabrics and beadwork. Her headpiece depicts the hibiscus, which is a common flower in South Africa. Ndavi also wears a pair of wings inspired by the shape of the continent of Africa. One side features the South African flag while the other side shows a flag map of Africa. The fantasy wings is a tribute to the rising success of African women worldwide.

Miss Universe South Africa 2023 Bryoni Govender wore a national costume that celebrates her Indian South African background. Bryoni wears the sari, the cultural garment among Indian women, while her accessories are inspired by traditional Indian jewelry. Zulu beads are embellished on her attire and jewelry, and are designed in Ndebele patterns. The green theme of her attire references the uniform of the South Africa national rugby team in celebration of their recent victory in the World Cup at the time.