South Africans are happy about their new queen, Zozibini Tunzi who was crowned Miss SA 2019 on Women’s Day, August 9.
The 25-year-old is more than just a beauty queen, she is a woman a substance who is determined about the future.
Here are six things to know about her:
- Tunzi has three sisters Yanga (30), Sibabalwe (24) and Ayakha (13) whom she calls her best friends. She is also inspired by her parents, whom she refers to like her role models. "As cliché as this may sound my role models are my parents. I have learned so much from them. My mother has taught me the importance of remaining kind and humble and always being helpful to those around me. My father has taught me the importance of education, of hard work and discipline. Most important they have equally moulded me to be who I am today."
The queen and her father. Picture: Twitter.
- In 2018, Tunzi interviewed Basetsana Kumalo, a woman she looks up to. Before knowing that she will one day be sharing the Miss SA title with Kumalo who was crowned Miss SA 1994, Tunzi was thrilled to have had a conversation with the media mogul on the Afternoon Express show. “A while ago I interviewed Basetsana Khumalo. That happened... I, Zozibini Tunzi interviewed a whole Basetsana Kumalo on the Afternoon Express set. Of course, I had to do some breathing exercises first because I was losing my mind. One of the women I look up to was right there on the couch waiting for me to approach and pick her brain. I absolutely don't know what happens next in my life but I do know that God is building me one block at a time and one of these days the end product will be absolute magic.”
Two queens, one picture. Sourced from Instagram.
- She comes from an academic family which is why she also loves education. Her mother is a school principal at Bangweni JSS, a school in a village called Bolotwa. The father works in Pretoria at the department of Higher Education and Training. “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 these important social causes.”
- She doesn’t have a driver’s licence. It’s a bit disappointing that she won’t be able to drive her new Mercedes-Benz until she gets a driver’s licence. But she’s a queen, she’ll probably get a chauffeur or something.
- Miss SA is not the only pageant she’s won. In 2015, she was crowned Miss Mamelodi Sundowns. And in 2017 she entered Miss SA but only made it to the semi-finals.
- When it comes to entertainment, Tunzi is a Game of Thrones fan, listens to Childish Gambino and is currently reading The Secret- a self-help book by Rhonda Byrne.
The public relations graduate from Tsolo in the Eastern Cape received R1-million in cash as well as a further R2-million worth of sponsorships and prizes, including the use of a luxury Sandton apartment and a Mercedes-Benz cabriolet for a year.