Speaking during her homecoming celebrations at Mthatha Stadium in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, the 26-year-old beauty pageant winner said her Miss Universe title was a symbol of representation and inclusion. 

"I say it means inclusion, because when you see me, you see yourselves through me, and you are able to fight for the things that you want," she said. 

Tunzi said she believed she could be the face that South Africans could look at and see that all dreams were possible.  

She has returned home for the first time since she was crowned Miss Universe in December. After spending time with her family at Esidwadweni village at Tsolo, Tunzi attended homecoming celebrations organised by the OR Tambo district municipality.

She expressed gratitude for the support she had received from South Africans during the Miss Universe competition and said she was ready to do her part. "I'm very much exited to start working in South Africa for the things I said I want to fulfil. I'm so grateful to have been able to go to the world and tell the story of South African women and South African children. As I stood there for Miss Universe, I spoke about leadership and I spoke about empowering young women and young boys as well."

She said there was a possibility that the next Miss Universe contest would be held in South Africa and called for South Africans to join her in campaigning for the event to be staged here. 

"I want all of us to fight for it so I can hand over my crown right here at home, so that young girls can look at it up close and personal and see that it's possible for all of us. This is about us believing in ourselves and our dreams, because your dream may not be to be Miss Universe, your dream might be for something else, but because you are able to see things happen, we are able to believe in ourselves," said Tunzi. 

African News Agency