Miss Universe: Fans crowd OR Tambo to welcome Zozibini Tunzi home

It has been a whirlwind couple of months for Zozibini Tunzi who was crowned Miss Universe in December 2019, but she is finally back in South Africa.

Zozibini touched down at OR Tambo airport on Saturday 8 February just less than two months after claiming the Miss Universe crown at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. She has not been home since claiming the crown and her fans couldn’t wait to catch a glimpse of the inspirational queen.

The apartment she won a year’s stay in when she claimed the Miss South Africa crown has since been handed over to Sasha-Lee Olivier who assumed that crown when Zozibini became Miss Universe, but the lady from the Eastern Cape has been welcomed back to South Africa with open arms even if her stay is set to be a short one.

Sasha-Lee led the big welcome for Zozibini alongside a choir and a troupe of dancers that left Miss Universe stunned.

The Soweto Gospel Choir delivered a stirring rendition of the National Anthem as an emotional Zozibini greeted the scores of supporters who turned up at OR Tambo to welcome the queen home.

Watch: Miss Universe is welcomed home

Zozibini’s Miss Universe triumph came shortly after the Springboks inspired South Africa and like the Boks she is set to tour the country, stopping in several cities and visiting her hometown in the Eastern Cape.

Miss Universe’s supporters had to be patient while awaiting her arrival. Not only did it take her two months to return to South Africa, but her flight back to her homeland was delayed for several hours. That did little to dampen spirits at OR Tambo as thousands sang, cheered and chanted even before the popular queen touched down in South Africa.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited her to be an honoured guest at his State of the Nation (SONA) address.

Miss Universe will be headed straight to her hometown of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape as her first stop of a short but jam-packed visit to South Africa.

As the winner of Miss Universe, she will be based in New York City until the next pageant, working with the organization to promote several charitable interests, including her work to combat gender-based violence. 

Zozibini is the third South African woman to win the Miss Universe crown. Her victory has been hailed as a triumph of the natural beauty of African women and has meant a tremendous amount to so many not just in South Africa but across the world.