Luyanda Zuma's 'petty' reaction to Miss SA loss sparks outrage among fans

Miss SA 2025 may be over, but the drama is not.

Luyanda Zuma, the first runner-up for Miss SA 2025, is currently facing online criticism after online users claimed that her reaction to not winning the crown was petty.

The conversation online about Zuma is that she did not congratulate the newly crowned Miss SA, Qhawekazi Mazaleni, and she is liking and reposting videos that say she should have won the title instead.

Furthermore, other users claimed that Zuma’s advocacy changed a lot of times from her entering the pageant to the finale.

Here’s what people are saying:

“Luyanda didn’t have advocacy. Luyanda changed her mission 3 times. First, it was GBV on intro when she talked about Cwecwe, then men and women empowerment, then on the final night, it was about youth creativity or something like that. That was her downfall,” @karaboyarona_khumalo wrote.

“She reposted that Keke Mphuthi video where Keke was making allegations that she was robbed, meaning that she also agreed that she was robbed. That time Qhawe beat her fair and square,” @Mzilinkatha_P commented.

@jaime added: “Did anyone catch how she reacted when Qhawe was announced the winner? She had such a cold look on her face.”

Three years after first making it into the Top 10, Zuma was back on the Miss South Africa stage for the 2025 competition. 

It was a normal reaction from her fans to have expectations that she would walk away with the crown.

However, it started to go downhill after fans claimed that she was more deserving of the crown than Mazaleni.

People started making comparisons between the two stunning women, and the fanbases started saying foul things about their favourite beauty queens.

This took away the attention and celebration of Zuma being the first runner-up, to something that is way out of context.

Amid ongoing discussions about Zuma, she has remained silent on the matter, choosing instead to celebrate her impressive progress in the competition.

She reflected on her journey and expressed gratitude to all her supporters.

“South Africa, I have poured my heart into this journey. Every step, every late night, every moment of doubt and triumph, all leading to this final moment on that stage.

“It took years of hard work, sweat and tears to rise from a place of zero confidence, from once hating my complexion, my height and my figure to standing tall and proud in my truth.

"When I first set foot on that Miss South Africa stage, you embraced me with open arms. You made me feel seen, worthy and confident enough to be me fully and unapologetically,” she shared.

Zuma further added that her journey in the pageant was a testament to her faith, determination and resilience that you can enter any space that you dream of, no matter how or where you start.