Zozibini Tunzi on her Cosmopolitan cover – Growing up, my uncle said I’d be on a magazine

Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi says being the May “Made in Africa” cover star for Cosmopolitan magazine is one of her childhood dreams come true.

The issue observes Africa Month by celebrating South African fashion designers and locally made beauty products.

Zozi is the perfect cover girl, having flown the SA flag high when she was crowned Miss Universe in December last year. She shares her inspirational story of how she bagged the coveted title and how she is rewriting the rules of beauty pageants.

She said the issue must serve as a powerful reminder to support local businesses and talent.

The Eastern Cape-born beauty shared fond childhood memories on Instagram of her uncle, who told her that she should be on a cover of a magazine – a dream that seemed too distant for a village girl.

She wrote on Instagram:

‘What an amazing feeling to wake up to such an accolade?❤. This is a #MadeInAfrica issue featuring fashion and beauty products made in Africa by Africans. This gives all of us an opportunity to support local production and businesses post-lockdown. Thank you so much @cosmopolitansa for this honor, it is truly humbling. This actually reminds me of my late uncle, we used to call him Mchina. Everytime I came home kuTsolo even growing up as a child he used to say “awumhle MamTolo ngathi uzovela kwi khatarok(magazine?), ufanele yi katharok”.

Translated to “You look so beautiful like you should be on a magazine, you belong in a magazine”. At that time this was something that seemed unattainable to a village girl sitting on a stoep with his uncle. It’s so unfortunate he wasn’t alive to see me win @missuniverse or his long dream of me being on a magazine. I do know that he is with the rest of the clan and God. Right now they are all smiling ❤

Hope you guys are staying home, self-isolating and now having some self-care with myself and COSMO! #COSMOxZozi‘.