Sedgefield celebrates Miss Universe win
THE holiday town of Sedgefield has another reason to attract visitors. Its most prominent native, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, has been crowned Miss Universe.
The manager of Sedgefield tourism, Belinda Hobson, said the town is extremely proud of Nel-Pieters and her tremendous achievement.
“We are planning to have something for Demi when she returns, but nothing is official yet as it will be a while before she returns.”
Sedgefield falls under the Knysna municipality but executive mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies has been short on her congratulations as she is fighting fires in her mayoral committee. She did not respond to calls for comment as she was busy reshuffling her cabinet.
Nel-Peters, 22, has officially put her home town on the global map. She was crowned Miss Universe 2017 in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Nel-Pieters, who had to beat 91 other contestants from around the globe to take the crown, has become the second Miss South Africa to win the title 39 years after Margaret Gardiner won it.
In her acceptance speech Nel-Peters said she was proud and humbled to have won and that her dreams had become a reality. “I resonate with everything that the Miss Universe organisation stands for, especially empowering women. I have always tried to be the change I want to see in the world, and this platform will give me the opportunity to make a difference. I hope I have made South Africans proud.”
Her father and stepmother, Bennie and Elzabé Peters, and mother and stepfather Anne-Mari and Johan Steenkamp, were in the audience and were overcome when her name was announced.
“Demi-Leigh has worked incredibly hard for the past few years to achieve this goal and we are all so proud of her,” said Elzabé.