The Times Square Sun Arena in Menlyn, Pretoria was packed to its full capacity as locals flocked to see the crowning of Miss South Africa 2019.
Zozibini Tunzi, 25, was crowned as the 61st Miss South Africa on Women’s Day, August 9. She is the first Miss SA to wear the new Buhle crown.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissSA2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissSA2019 @zozitunzi– the Queen of the Nation. 👑
Reply below with your well wishes as she wears her crown and begins her reign to represent us across the globe. pic.twitter.com/pi93tpMQgk
— Miss South Africa (@Official_MissSA)
The Public Relations graduate who hails from Tsolo, eSdwadweni, a small village in the Eastern Cape is all about education. She said if she were to challenge the President to change something about South Africa, she would ask him to push the issue of education.
Zozibini Tunzi crowned Miss South Africa 2019 at the Sun Arena in Pretoria. Video: Thobile Mathonsi/African News Agency(ANA)
Tunzi is an inspiration to many. She entered Miss SA in 2017 but only made it to the semi-finals. However, that did not stop her and today, she is reigning supreme.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissSA2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissSA2019 pic.twitter.com/xkZcE9Li45
— Sibongile Mafu (@sboshmafu)
When asked what has changed from the day she first entered the competition in 2017, she said: "I'm a different person now. Back then, I didn't know myself that much but now I came back stronger with a bigger purpose."
Tunzi received love and support from South Africans, with many agreeing that she deserves to be the queen.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissSA2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissSA2019 pic.twitter.com/YKYIq3bgS1
— Kuwaiti Dinar (@LitSego)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissSA2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissSA2019
Millions of little girls and women will be inspired by your win👑 pic.twitter.com/4zMbbHUnLE
— Mbaliyezwe Ndlela (@mbali_ndlela)
However, getting the crown wasn't easy. She was grilled with heated questions by a panel of judges which included the queen of SA talk and radio jock, Anele Mdoda; actress and businesswoman Connie Ferguson and SA model, activist and lawyer Thando Hopa, who was the first woman with albinism to grace the cover of Vogue.
Tunzi walks away with prizes up to a value of R3 million. This includes an apartment in Sandton, a Mercedes Benz car and other fashion and beauty goodies.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissSA2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissSA2019was a glorious occasion.
We welcome our new reigning queen @zozitunzi to this special sisterhood. pic.twitter.com/q32bHMsjhB
— Miss South Africa (@Official_MissSA)