A few weeks from now, a new Miss Universe will be crowned.
But before that, let’s look back at some interesting facts about our reigning Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa.
A graduate of public relations and image management from Cape Peninsula University of Technology, this 26-year-old beauty is also an advocate of women’s right, equality, and mental health.
More on Queen Zozibini as compiled by Merciely A. Salvador and Dane Maverick G. Padel from City of Malabon University:
Pageant rookie - She began in pageantry in 2017 when she competed at the Miss South Africa contest for the first time and finished in top 26. Two years later, she joined again the bagged the title of Miss South Africa 2019.
Pageant is her calling - On Instagram, Zozibini wrote: “This here in the shiny fabulous dress (number 80, with this smile) is 11 years old me. I was competing in a small community pageant and I had made top 5. This was my favorite part of the competition because I got to speak. I couldn't wait to show people what I had learned from all the books I got from my grandmother and from our tiny community library. I was unafraid because I had the greatest weapons; education and a dream! Imagine how the world would be if every girl child was equipped with incredible knowledge. To every young girl… This is from 11-year-old me. You are an incredible force, don't let that spark die. To every woman…you are doing an incredible job keeping those promises you made to yourself as a young girl. Keep on keeping.” At 11, she’s already interested in going up to the stage to introduce herself.
She is the first black South-African woman to win the Miss Universe - She is the 3rd South-African Miss Universe titleholder, but she is the first woman of color from her country. The two other Miss Universe queens are Margaret Gardiner (1978) and Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (2017).
Her hair is an Afro - She is the first Miss Universe who has an Afro hair. During the competition, she was advised by many to wear a wig, but she declined. She wanted to show her natural crowning glory because for her “beauty can be anything”.
She is family-oriented - She always celebrates her victory with her family. Her members of her family were always in pageants she competed in.
She comes from a family of educators - Her mother is a school principal at Eastern Cape while her father works at the Department of Higher Education and Training in Pretoria, Gauteng.
She is an activist - A part of her advocacy when she won Miss South Africa 2019 was to be active in promoting HeForShe, a UN Women organization that engage men and boys in removing the social and cultural barriers that prevent women and girls from achieving their potential and to promote equality which is represented by celebrities like Emma Watson.
She is admired for her fashion sense - Queen Zozibini can rock any outfits from casual wear to red carpet worthy gowns which is very common to supermodels. During the competition, she also showed how she represented her country in her fashion style.
She is afraid to curl her own lashes - During the Miss Universe 2019 pageant, Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados helped Miss Universe 2029 Zozini to curl her lashes because she cannot do it on her own. The picture was taken from Gazini’s livestream.
She's afraid of heights - With her beauty and strong-willed personality, she suffers from acrophobia (fear of heights) and trypophobia (fear of clusters of small holes).