South Africa will be represented at Miss Grand International 2026 by Estèe-Mari Smit, 18. It is the 14th edition of the international beauty pageant based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Smit hails from Roodepoort, Gauteng, South Africa. The city is located around 20 kilometers west of Johannesburg, Gauteng, the most populous city in the country.
Miss Grand South Africa 2026
On June 28, 2025, Boitshepo Lamola represented Soshanguve at Miss Grand South Africa 2025 and competed against 30 other candidates at the Theater of Marcellus at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg. She won the title.
On June 20, 2026, Lamola crowned Smit as her successor at the Heartfelt Arena Theatre in Pretoria, Gauteng. It is the 10th edition of the national beauty pageant that selects the Miss Grand International candidate of South Africa.
Including Smit, a total of 20 women competed for the Miss Grand South Africa 2026 crown. Here are the results:
| PLACEMENT | CANDIDATE |
| Miss Grand South Africa 2026 | Estèe-Mari Smit (Roodeport) |
| 1st runner-up | Karabo Lawal (Centurion) |
| 2nd runner-up | Abigail van Emmenis (Umhlanga) |
| Top 5 | Caitlin Shantell Lubisi (Bushbuckbridge) Anesipho Kwasa Dyosi (Philippi) |
| Top 20 | Cara Nigrini (Ballito) Hendrietta Maledimo (Fourways) Pleaśure Ngöbeni (Goodwood) Mihlali Msithiseli (King William’s Town) Zenokuhle Mkhize (Kingsburgh) Tshepiso Tsogang (Kuruman) Rochè Agenbag (Newcastle) Sibusisekile Shaun Makhathini (Pietermaritzburg) Princess Ndou (Polokwane) Tshepang Tshepii Montsho (Rusetenburg) Hannah-Hope Banien (Somerset West) Tamaryn Price (South Coast) Junika Jasmine Beukes (Springbok) Thandeka Zibuta (Tumahole) Mihla-Emihle Tshazi (Umzumkhulu) |
Miss Grand International 2026
In October 2026, Smit will represent South Africa at Miss Grand International 2026 in India. This edition marks the returns of Honduras, Iran, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Ukraine after skipping at least one edition.
Including Smit, more than 70 women are expected to compete for the title. Here are the other confirmed candidates:
- Sara Sheh, 22, Albania
- Alyanni Gómez, 25, Cuba
- Dominique Alagia, 21, Czech Republic
- Rebecca Attiogbe, 24, Ghana
- Ximena Carrillo, 22, Guatemala
- Emely Alemán, 27, Honduras
- Xuebing Liu, 27, Hong Kong
- Lakshita Thilagaraj, 23, India
- Anel Emel, 21, Kazakhstan
- Rufina Gasanova, 22, Kyrgyzstan
- Minshi Lin, 23, Macau
- Natalia Galea, 27, Malta
- Micaela Viveros, 21, Paraguay
- Milena Rabelo, 27, Portugal
- Akoi Arok, 29, South Sudan
- Alba María Ruiz, 22, Spain
- Patthama Jitsawat, 33, Thailand
- Maria Kolotilo, 24, Ukraine
- Pooja Ghodekar, 25, United Kingdom
- Lady Mosquera, 26, Venezuela
- Charity Mumba, 26, Zambia
- Shelly Usman, 27, Zimbabwe
Launched in 2013, Miss Grand International was founded by Nawat Itsaragrisil. He is a native of Damnoen Saduak, Ratchaburi, Thailand and an alumnus of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok.
Both Teresa Yuphayao Chaivisut and Ratchaphol Chantaratim serve as vice presidents of the organization. The former is a Bangkok native and the latter was born in Samut Prakan, Thailand.
Lamola was unplaced when she represented South Africa in the 13th edition of Miss Grand International at the MGI Hall in Bangkok on October 18, 2025. She competed against 76 other candidates including Emma Tiglao of the Philippines, who won the title, and Faith Maria Porter of Ghana, who was the third runner-up.
Sovran Star 
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