WATCH: Zozibini Tunzi wins Miss Universe 2019
She was crowned during the prestigious ceremony in Atlanta in the United States.
South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi crowned #MissUniverse2019 | Image: Twitter
South Africa is set to be in celebration mode once again after Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi has been crowned Miss Universe 2019.
Tunzi, 26, finished ahead of the Puerto Rican and Mexican finalists in a flashy televised event, hosted by American comic turned TV personality Steve Harvey.
The news broke in the early hours of Monday morning after Tunzi emerged victoriously from Sunday evening’s glittering pageant.
Various South Africans stayed awake through the night to watch a live stream of the show and got the hashtag #zoziformissuniverse trending along with various other viewers throughout the globe who decided that she should take the crown.
ALSO READ: Here are all the prizes Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi walks away with
The crowd has gone crazy for last two responses and they don’t even know her. It’s not her home crowd. She has won their hearts too. Zozibini is taking this.
— Khaya Dlanga (@khayadlanga) December 9, 2019
If zozibini doesn't win this….she was robbed point blank…..here I said it…..she mopped the floor…#missuniversesouthafrica
— somizi somGAGA (@somizi) December 9, 2019
CMO of Rain South Africa caught the fateful moment Tunzi’s win was announced by the show’s host Steve Harvey.
Yeeess! Zozibini has taken it! Miss Universe 2019.
SA got the crown in 2017, runner up in 2018 and we regain in 2019! Congratulations Tolokazi, Dlangamandla, Zulu, Mchenge! #MissUniverse2019 @zozitunzi pic.twitter.com/ZHmo2o2czc— Khaya Dlanga (@khayadlanga) December 9, 2019
LOOK: Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray places the crown on her successor, #MissUniverse2019 Zozibini Tunzi. pic.twitter.com/3u2AAWAH2q
— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) December 9, 2019
Our hearts are swelling with pride. You have represented South Africa with elegance, integrity and authenticity. We are so proud of you, @ZoziTunzi.
South Africa, meet your new Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi! #MissUniverseSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/RK8sCw1y76
— Miss South Africa (@Official_MissSA) December 9, 2019
#MissUniverse2019 Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa's answer to the question: What is the most important thing we should teach young girls today?
'Leadership. We should be teaching these young girls to take up space. Nothing is more important than taking up space in the society'
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) December 9, 2019
WATCH: Social media ‘touched’ as Miss SA is told ‘you’re going back to SA’
Television personalities Vanessa Lachey and Olivia Culpo served as backstage commentators, and a panel of seven women determined the winner.
Tunzi earned cheers during her closing speech, a new segment of the competition, in which she talked about wanting to empower young women to feel confident.
“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful,” she said.
“I think that it is time that that stops today,” she said to thunderous applause.
Tunzi beat more than 90 contestants from around the globe in the 68th instalment of Miss Universe, which was held in Atlanta’s Tyler Perry Studios.
The two favourites ahead of the competition, Miss Thailand Paweensuda Saetan-Drouin and Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados, did not make it to the final 10.
The Philippines’ Catriona Gray, who presented Tunzi with the crown, took home the Miss Universe crown in 2018.
Although she did not make the finals, Miss Myanmar Swe Zin Htet made waves last week when she came out as the competition’s first openly gay contestant.
“I have that platform that, if I say that I’m a lesbian, it will have a big impact on the LGBTQ community back in Burma,” Htet told People magazine, using her country’s historic name.
Homosexuality is illegal in the southeast Asian country and is punishable by up to life in prison.
In 2018, the competition also featured Miss Spain Angela Ponce, who blazed a trail as Miss Universe’s first transgender contestant.
But the pageant has had a controversial past. Multiple contestants have alleged that US President Donald Trump would regularly enter the competitors’ changing room while he owned the organisation from 1996-2015.
Additionally, Miss Universe continues to host the swimsuit competition, which has drawn criticism for objectifying the contestants, although that part of the pageant was not televised.
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