Mia le Roux has become the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa, following a divisive competition which saw one finalist withdraw after being trolled over her Nigerian heritage.

In her acceptance speech, Ms Le Roux said she hoped her victory would help those who felt excluded from society to achieve their “wildest dreams, just like I am”. She said she wanted to help those who were “financially excluded or differently abled”.

Last week 23-year-old law student Chidinma Adetshina pulled out of the competition following allegations that her mother may have stolen the identity of a South African woman, reports the BBC.

Ms Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican origin. She had been at the centre of a social media storm for several weeks, with many people, including a cabinet minister, questioning her right to represent the country.