Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (born 28 June 1995) is a South African model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe 2017. She previously was crowned Miss South Africa 2017, and is the second Miss Universe winner from South Africa, following Miss Universe 1978 Margaret Gardiner.
Early and personal life
Nel-Peters was born on 28 June 1995 in Sedgefield, Western Cape to Bennie Peters and Anne-Marie Steenkamp.[1] Her half-sister, Franje, has a physical disability, and Nel-Peters says that she is the most significant motivator in her life.[2][3] She received a degree in business management from North-West University,[4][5] and is fluent in both English and Afrikaans.[4]
Pageantry
Miss South Africa 2017
Nel-Peters began her pageantry career while competing in the Miss South Africa 2017competition. Representing Western Cape, Nel-Peters was declared the winner of the competition.[6] As Miss South Africa, Nel-Peters was given the right to represent South Africa in both Miss World 2017 and Miss Universe 2017, but due to the dates of the pageants coinciding, she was sent to solely Miss Universe, held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Miss Universe 2017
In the final round Steve Harvey asked Nel-Peters "What quality in yourself are you most proud of and how will you apply that quality to your time as Miss Universe?" , she said:
As Miss Universe you have to be confident in who you are as an individual. And Miss Universe is a woman that has overcome many fears and by that she is able to help other women to overcome their fears. She is a woman that nothing is ever too much to ask for and I think that is exactly who I am."[7]
Following her crowning as Miss South Africa, Nel-Peters was considered a favorite for the Miss Universe crown[8].[9] When asked about what she thought was the most important issue regarding women at the workplace, she said:
In some places, women get paid 75% of what men earn for doing the same job, working the same hours — and I do not believe that this is right. I think we should have equal work for equal pay for women all over the world.[10]
She went on to win the competition and was crowned Miss Universe 2017 by outgoing titleholder Iris Mittenaere.[11][12][13] Nel-Peters is the second titleholder from South Africa, and the first since Margaret Gardiner won Miss Universe 1978.[14][15][16]
Nel-Peters said during a segment at Miss Universe that she wants to use her self-defenceworkshops to help as many women as she can.[3][17] This stems from an incident a month after being crowned Miss South Africa when she was carjacked at Hyde Park, she handed over her car keys but was forced into her car by the carjackers.[18][19] She punched one of her attackers in the throat and managed to run away and get help.[18][20][21]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demi-Leigh_Nel-Peters
