By Associated Press
South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe 2019, giving the country its second title in in three years in a pageant that also saw strong showings from contestants from Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Tunzi, a 26-year-old gender violence activist, said she was forced to abandon her studies for a year because of her family’s economic difficulties, but her modeling work allowed her to continue her education.
Tunzi
She studied public relations at Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
When asked during Sunday’s contest what it is most important to teach young girls today, Tunzi said “leadership” — unleashing a standing ovation at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
“It’s something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time — not because we don’t want to, but because of what society has labelled women to be,” she said.
With other contestants
“I think we are the most powerful beings on the world, and that we should be given every opportunity.
“And that is what we should be teaching these young girls — to take up space.”
She said she grew up in a world where women who looked like her were not seen as beautiful.
Puerto Rico’s Madison Anderson was elected first finalist, and Miss Mexico Sofia Aragon second.
Tunzi’s triumph is the second for South Africa in Miss Universe. South Africa’s Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters was crowned in 2017.
A total of 90 countries participated in this year’s contest, which was hosted by Steve Harvey.
Tunzi said she grew up in a world where a woman who looks like her, with her kind of skin and her kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful.
“I think that it is time that that stops today.”
Zozi’s mother is a school principal at Bangweni Junior Secondary School in a village in the Eastern Cape called Bolotwa.
Her father works at the Department of Higher Education and Training in Pretoria. Zozi herself is known for her passion for education.
On being crowned Miss SA, she had said: “I stand for the education of the South African youth, for equality and representation. As a Miss South Africa, I cannot wait to make a contribution to those important social causes.”
Her Miss Universe prizes make her an immediate millionare as some of her benefits include a year-long salary thought to be worth more than $100,000, a luxury apartment in New York City, a modelling portfolio by some of the best fashion photographers as well as free dental services, skincare consultations and the services of professional nutritionists.
Her Miss Universe crown also comes with personal styling by the official Miss Universe Organization fashion stylist.
Miss SA and Miss Universe are not the only pageants which Tunzi has won. In 2015, she was crowned Miss Mamelodi Sundowns. She also entered Miss SA twice, making it to the semi-finals in 2017 before she won the pageant in 2019.
Tunzi enjoys a good book, and one of her recent reads is The Secret by Rhonda Bryne, which speaks about the law of attraction and how thoughts have the power to change a person’s life.
With host Steve Harvey
She is the third woman from South Africa to wear the Miss Universe crown. The first was Margaret Gardiner in 1978, followed by Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters in 2017.
This also makes her the first black South African woman to be Miss Universe.
Meanwhile, Somali-British Miss Universe Contestant Muna Jama has made history by wearing a Kaftan instead of a bikini at the Miss Universe Great Britian competition.
Muna Jama
Muna Jama is the first pageant contestant in the Miss Universe Great Britain competition to rock a kaftan for the swimsuit round instead of a bikini.
The choice to forgo the bikini wasn’t anything out of the norm for the Somali-British model, especially since wearing one conflicts with her values as a Muslim woman.
This choice not only is a step towards inclusivity in the pageant world, but also a moment to acknowledge the diverse ways women approach modesty in the Muslim community.
Proud Muslim
To say Jama’s an inspiration for black Muslim women and girls like herself, is an understatement.
“I had no idea I was going to inspire anyone. I just wanted to stay true to myself and not do anything that I don’t do outside my normal life; to pretend, to be someone I’m not,” Jama said in an interview with Teen Vogue.