Ololade Adeyanju/
Miss South Africa was crowned Miss Universe yesterday night in Atlanta, US.
Zozibini Tunzi, 26, finished first ahead of the Puerto Rican and Mexican finalists in the 68th instalment of Miss Universe, which was held in Atlanta’s Tyler Perry Studios.
She succeeds Catriona Gray of the Philippines, who took home the Miss Universe crown in 2018.
The televised event was hosted by American comic turned TV personality Steve Harvey.
In her closing speech, which drew large cheers from the audience, Tunzi said, “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. I think that it is time that that stops today.”
Tunzi also wrote on her Twitter page moments after she was crowned, “Tonight a door was opened and I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked through it.
“May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in the power of her dreams and may they see their faces reflected in mine.
“I am #MissUniverse2019.”
See tweet: