CROWNING GLORY: Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters reacts as she is crowned by Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere during the 66th Miss Universe pageant at Planet Hollywood hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Picture: Reuters
Cape Town - Reigning Miss Universe, South Africa’s very own Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, returns home next week after being based in New York since being crowned in Las Vegas, Nevada, last November. She made history as the second Miss South Africa to win the prestigious title.

Nel-Peters will be returning on Wednesday to continue her humanitarian efforts. She will be touring Cape Town International and OR Tambo airports, and will also partake in a street parade in her home town of Sedgefield, near George.

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Nel-Peters will also host Unbreakable workshops in Soweto and Cape Town. She started Unbreakable, which is an initiative she founded with Women Empowered, after being a victim of a carjacking and attempted kidnapping last June. She escaped by punching the offender in the throat, a lesson she was taught during a self-defence class with the other Miss South Africa contestants. Unbreakable aims to empower women by teaching them how to handle difficult situations, such as sexual harassment and domestic violence.

She will also take the time to revisit the victims of the devastating Knysna fires which occurred last June, as the victims were the beneficiaries of her fund-raising efforts during the Miss Universe pageant.

She will also attend the Sun Met on January 27, and is thrilled at having made her home country proud during the Miss Universe pageant. According to Nel-Peters, she cannot express her gratitude and pride at representing South Africa. “I am very excited to celebrate this achievement with my people in the spirit of Mzansi,” she says.

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Cape Argus