Margaret Gardiner, Tamaryn Green, Zozibini Tunzi and Cindy Nell. Images via Instagram @margaret_gardiner @tamaryngreen and @cindy_nell.
Miss Universe: South Africa’s rich history at international pageant
Here’s a look at all South Africa’s winners and runners up at the Miss Universe pageant ahead of the 2023 edition on Saturday 18 November.
Margaret Gardiner, Tamaryn Green, Zozibini Tunzi and Cindy Nell. Images via Instagram @margaret_gardiner @tamaryngreen and @cindy_nell.
Miss SA runner up Bryoni Govender is representing South Africa at the Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador on Saturday 18 November. Here’s a look at South Africa’s rich history at the pageant.
ALSO READ: Zozi Tunzi: Where is first Miss Universe with afro-texture hair now?
SOUTH AFRICA’S MISS UNIVERSE TITLEHOLDERS
MARGARET GARDINER
Margaret Gardiner was crowned Miss Republic of South Africa in 1978. The beauty queen was crowned Miss Universe by Janelle Commissiong – the first black titleholder of the pageant.
Margaret is married to Andre Nel, a professor of paediatrics and public health at UCLA. She now lives in Los Angeles and she is also a fashion editor at the Golden Globes.
She was also the ONLY South African titleholder of Miss Universe for 39 years before Demi Leigh Tebow took the title in 2017.
ALSO READ: Miss SA 2011: Where is beauty queen Melinda Bam now?
DEMI LEIGH TEBOW
Demi-Leigh was crowned Miss SA in 2017 and went on to represent South Africa at the Miss Universe pageant that same year where she became the second South African to be crowned Miss Universe.
She attended a boarding school in George, Western Cape. The model went on to attain a Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurial Studies from the North-West University in Potchefstroom.
ZOZIBINI TUNZI
Former Miss SA (2019) Zozibini Tunzi made history as Miss Universe for several reasons. She was reportedly the first black woman with afro-texture hair to win the pageant, according to Allure.
She was also the longest reigning Miss Universe with a reign of a total of 525 days (one year, five months and eight days). This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zozi surpassed Leila Lopes’ reign of 464 days (one year, three months and seven days) from September 2011 to December 2012.
She also became the third woman from South Africa to win the international pageant. The beauty queen was also the first black woman to be crowned Miss Universe in eight years after Lopes in 2011.
Zozi holds a degree in Public Relations Management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
ALSO READ: Fifty and fabulous: Where is ex Miss SA Kerishnie Naiker? [photos]
SOUTH AFRICA’S RUNNERS UP
- Nicolette Caras (1960) – Third runner up
- Letitia Snyman (1984) – First runner up
- Vanessa Carreira (2002) – Third runner up
- Cindy Nell (2003) – Second runner up
- Tamaryn Green (2018) – First runner up
- Lalela Mswane (2021) – First runner up
