“Didn’t See Her at March and March”: Zozibini Tunzi Joins Uyinene Mrwetyana Protest, Sparking Debate

• Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi joined a major GBV protest march on 15 August 2026, seven years after Uyinene Mrwetyana's death
• Tunzi said women had done enough awareness-raising and demanded the government now act on its own declared national crisis
• Her appearance at the march sparked a sharp debate online about where activists show up and why

Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi took to the streets on 15 August 2026. She joined a large march in memory of Uyinene Mrwetyana, seven years after the young woman's death shook South Africa.

Speaking to eNCA amid crowds carrying flags and placards, Tunzi reflected on the significance of the day. Uyinene's mother had been remembering the moment she was introduced to the country's attention in the most heartbreaking of circumstances. For Tunzi, the march was both a tribute and a demand.

"Women are tired. We've been crying every day, I think now we want to see exactly what it is that the government will do, will continue to do."

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Tunzi was direct about where she believes the conversation on gender-based violence needs to go. She argued that South Africans had spent years raising awareness and that the time for that phase had passed. She told eNCA that the problem lay in how policies are handled in practice.

She pointed to a system she described as consistently failing women, with perpetrators escaping accountability at every level, from police stations to the highest offices of government. Gender-based violence was formally declared a national crisis in South Africa in 2019, and Tunzi's message was that declaration alone had not been enough.

"Not enough is being done. And that is exactly where the issue is."

Watch Zozibini Tunzi speak at the Uyinene march:

South Africans respond online

The clip drew strong reactions on social media, with some backing Tunzi fully and others raising questions about her activism choices:

@Anunakin wrote:

"Didn't see her when we were marching against illegal immigration. When the chat is about SA men, she's present. Mhmm."

@2besh responded:

"Her own life is literally at risk because of GBV, this tweet is unserious 🤣"

@SethNgq added:

"Comparing the 2 is wild."

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@Ndaba_2025 said:

"When it's other things she is there, when it's serious things she is nowhere to be found."

@RetForever68 wrote:

"This was talked about constantly by @CyrilRamaphosa to distract us from all his shenanigans. So @zozitunzi actually has to be directing this to the Union Buildings, and giving the MOU to the Minister of Police and Women and Children. Because those are the real focus groups."

Fans celebrate Zozibini Tunzi's international hosting gig

Briefly News previously reported that Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi's exciting announcement regarding her role as the host for the Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2026 finale, set to take place on June 6 in Harare.

In her heartfelt message, Tunzi expressed her joy at visiting Zimbabwe for the first time, greeting fans in a local language, which sparked a wave of enthusiastic reactions from her followers.

Source: Briefly News