Miss SA asks the country's men to write love letters to women

Zozibini Tunzi says she wants to carry the support of SA men to the Miss Universe pageant, set to take place on December 9 in Atlanta, US.

On Monday, Miss SA announced that she was launching the #HeForShe campaign for men to stand with women and create a gender-equal world.

As part of a United Nations (UN) campaign and her ongoing work against gender-based violence (GBV), Tunzi asked men to write love letters to the women of SA, which she will attach to her national costume.

“ Those letters will be inscribed on to ribbons of fabric which will, in turn, form part of my national costume.

“In what will be a first, I will literally take SA with me to Miss Universe. I will wear a wave of love from men in the form of love letters celebrating and honouring the women of this country,” she said.

On the night she was crowned Miss SA, Tunzi said: “We have absolutely no reason to keep smiling, because the country's women are dying every day and mostly people are doing nothing about it. It is not up to us, it’s up to perpetrators to start doing right.”

Taking to social media, she said: “Remember that time on the ninth of August when I said I would call on all men to stand with women in the fight against gender-based violence? That day has now come. I am challenging you to stand with women.”

Those who wish to add their voices to Tunzi's costume can pledge their support on the #HeForShe website.

Participants can share their love letters on social media as a written message, selfie or video.