Miss Universe grateful for ‘best week’ of her life

MISS Universe Zozibini Tunzi has described her homecoming tour as the best week of her life.

Tunzi returned to South Africa earlier this month on her first official visit home since she was crowned in Atlanta, Georgia last year.

Her homecoming tour was a roaring success as fans turned out in their thousands to welcome her home.

She explained that the Homecoming Tour was “the best week of my life”.

“I want to say a huge thank you to the South African media who were so incredibly supportive of me.

“I’m truly grateful for the positivity that they spread around the country,”

Tunzi said.

A highlight of the tour was being the personal guest of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the State of the Nation address where he described her as “inspirational”. Tunzi, exquisitely clad in an acid yellow gown, graciously put her hands together and bowed her head as parliamentarians applauded.

When Tunzi returned to the area where she grew up in the Eastern Cape, the small towns of Tsolo and Idutywa family, members of the community and well-wishers came out in force.

Thousands of supporters followed the specially designed float that carried her from Mthatha to her village, singing, ululating and chanting her name.

Her family glowed with pride. Young artists Lwando Hlazo and Azola Ntlantsana covered the Tsolo library wall with a mural depicting Tunzi in a rural scene. At her old school, Canaan Academy, she was saluted with poetry and songs.

In Cape Town, there was a carnival atmosphere during her city street ridethrough.

In Joburg, Tunzi made her way through the streets on a red bus.

All through it, Tunzi highlighted her campaign to fight gender-based violence.

Tunzi has returned to New York where she will see out the remainder of her reign. |