Demi-Leigh plans to make a difference

“I RESONATE with everything that the Miss Universe organisation stands for, especially empowering women across the globe,” said current Miss South Africa DemiLeigh Nel-Peters, 22, when she was crowned Miss Universe 2017 in Las Vegas, US, yesterday.

Originally from Sedgefield on the Garden Route, an ecstatic Nel-Peters said she hoped she had made South Africans proud and hoped to continue making them proud during her reign as Miss Universe 2017.

“I have always tried to be the example of the change I want to see in the world, and this (Miss Universe) platform will give me the opportunity to make a difference,” NelPeters said.

En route to winning the title, she overcame fierce competition from runner-up first princess Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez, second princess Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett and 89 other contestants from around the world.

Nel-Peters is only the second South African to take the title. Margaret Gardiner won it in 1978.

This year’s contestants reportedly constituted the biggest number of entrants in the history of the 65-yearold pageant.

Demi-Leigh’s father and stepmother Bennie and Elzabé Peters, and mother and stepfather Anne-Mari and Johan Steenkamp, were in the audience and were overcome by her victory.

“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.

Chief executive Jose Dos Santos of Cell C, which is a Miss South Africa sponsor said: “We could not be more delighted with Demi-Leigh’s win at the Miss Universe pageant.”

Former Miss South Africa, 2004 winner Claudia Henkel, who is also a PR manager for Sun International which holds the licence for Miss South Africa, said: “We are extremely delighted for DemiLeigh.

“We are very proud to have two international (pageant-winning) women within a three-year period – Rolene Strauss Miss World 2014 and now Demi-Leigh.”

Nel-Peters has a BCom degree in business management and entrepreneurship, as well as part-time modelling experience.

Americans Steve Harvey and Ashley Graham hosted the pageant, which will be screened on Vuzu (DStv Channel 116) today at 8pm and Saturday at 3pm.

Picture: AP BEAMING BEAUTY:Miss South Africa 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, centre, who was crowned Miss Universe 2017 in the early hours of yesterday in Las Vegas, US, gets a congratulatory hug from Miss Norway as Miss Austria, left, and other contestants in the pageant look on.