Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss South Africa 2019 on Friday, August 9 at Time Square’s Sun Arena in Pretoria. She succeeds last year’s winner and Miss Universe’s first runner-up Tamaryn Green.

The 25-year-old beauty who hails from the Sidwadweni village in Tsolo, Eastern Cape, beat 15 other contestants to win the most coveted national beauty title in her country.

Prior to winning the pageant in her second attempt, Zozibini was completing her BTech in Public Relations Management degree at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and worked as an intern in the public relations department of Ogilvy Cape Town.

Zozibini will now embark on a journey to represent her rainbow nation at the Miss Universe 2019 pageant.

The runner-up, Sasha-Lee Olivier, is expected to compete in the Miss World 2019 pageant in London later this year.

Kgothatso Dithebe, Nompumelelo Maduna, and Eloïse van der Westhuizen completed to Top 5 finalists.

During the question and answer round with an all-female panel of judges, the new Miss South Africa gave a powerful and timely message, “The time is now for women to take their place at the forefront of greatness.”

The 61st edition of Miss South Africa pageant was held on Women’s Day.

Former Miss Universe from South Africa, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, and the reigning Miss Universe from the Philippines, Catriona Gray, graced the glittering event.

South Africa has won the Miss World crown three times with Penelope Coelen, Anneline Kriel, and Rolene Strauss in 1958, 1974, and 2014, respectively, and Miss Universe twice with Margaret Gardiner in 1978 and Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters in 2017.

Photos: Miss South Africa