Durban's Jesmika Singh one step closer to global pageant glory
Meet Jesmika Singh, KwaZulu-Natal's only contestant vying for the Miss World South Africa and Miss Universe South Africa titles.
South Africa's next beauty queen could come from KwaZulu-Natal.
Jesmika Singh has made it to the top 20 of the Miss African Beauty South Africa 2026 pageant.
She is the only woman from KZN in the top 20, which Gauteng dominates with 10 contestants.
"Every single one of these women carries something rare – not just beauty, but belief," African Beauty International CEO Bokang Montjane-Tshabalala said.
"Belief that she can walk into any room in the world and make South Africa proud. When I look at these contestants, I see engineers, healers, storytellers, founders and fighters. I see women who didn’t wait to be given a platform – they built one."
Two women from the top 20 will be crowned Miss Universe South Africa and Miss World South Africa.
Will Jesmika be one of them?
The 27-year-old is more than just a pretty face. Here are five things you need to know about her.
She grew up in Durban
Jesmika was born in Durban and attended Westville Girls' High School. She excelled in school and became a maths tutor.
"I tutored Grade 8 to Grade 12 students in core mathematics. I was only a mentor for a few months before my hard work and enthusiasm for the position led me to become the head of all maths mentors until I left matric in 2017," she said.
She is a PhD candidate
After high school, Jesmika enrolled at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She completed a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Cellular Biology. Jesmika moved to the Western Cape to further her studies and obtained her master's degree at the University of Cape Town in 2024.
"I can very proudly report that I was able to achieve a 93% distinction for my Masters in MSc (Med)- this was the highest mark ever achieved in my lab," she wrote on Instagram in September 2024.
"I am not one to brag, but this milestone is a massive achievement for me because it validated months of stress and perseverance,"
She is currently a PhD candidate in Cancer Biology.
She is a breast cancer advocate
Jesmika is passionate about breast cancer awareness. Her mother was diagnosed with the disease and sadly passed away. The loss motivated a young Jesmika to not only become a breast cancer advocate, but to study more about the disease that affects 1 in 28 women in South Africa.
"She has completed multiple degrees focused on improving cancer treatment outcomes and aims to bridge the gap between research, healthcare delivery and policy so that evidence-based solutions reach the people who need them," Miss African Beauty South Africa official said about her efforts.
Jesmika has helped raise over R100, 000 for breast cancer causes.
She's a Positive Polly
Jesmika has faced many ups and downs in her life, but she always maintains a positive outlook. She regularly shares empowering messages with her social media followers, encouraging them to be brave, kind and confident.
"My content is here to help you through what you’re going through right now," she said.
Here's a look at some of her inspiring messages:
- "When we feel like it is all crumbling down and we can’t push anymore, keep going because that is where the diamond is formed."
- "If it makes you happy, take the risk. Worst case, you learn from it. Best case, you change your whole life."
- "It's beautiful when things don't work out and then you realise, later on, that they actually really did."
She's a padel baddie
Jesmika is the queen of the padel court. When she is not busy working on the next big cancer treatment breakthrough, chasing her goals, and preparing to be South Africa's next, she's doing her thing on the padel court.
READ: Why padel courts are Durban's new favourite hangout spot
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