Publications
- On 26 November 2017, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters became the second South African to be crowned Miss Universe.
- Reminiscing, the former beauty queen shared five things she has learned in the five years since she won.
- Margaret Gardiner was the first South African woman to win Miss Universe in 1978; Zozibini Tunzi became the third to win the pageant in 2019.
On 26 November 2017, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters – who has since married and changed her surname to Tebow – became the second South African to be crowned Miss Universe.
"What an opportunity of a lifetime. I will forever be grateful to South Africa for trusting me to represent our incredible country on a world stage," Tebow wrote in a throwback post on Instagram.
Reminiscing on the monumental moment, the former beauty queen shared five things she has learned in the five years since she won.
5 things I've learned the last 5 years:
1. My MU crown was temporary, but the ripple effect of impact you can have is endless.
2. We all have a platform and the ability to make positive change in the lives of others.
3. The two hardest things I've faced in my life to date (losing my baby sister & surviving an armed hijack) has led me to finding my life's biggest purpose.
4. Find a life partner who doesn't just share your interests but shares your purpose.
5. Community is everything. I am so grateful for my handful of true friends and the community we have here on social media. I love getting to do life with all of you. Thank you for your continued love and support.
Tebow referred to the attempted hijacking she was involved in, in 2017.
"It was an awful experience, but I knew how to handle the situation in the best possible way because I had done Woman INPowered (WIP) and MasterDrive workshops for women that focused on everything from hijacking and robberies and how to handle these situations," she said at the 2017 launch of her Unbreakable initiative after winning Miss South Africa.
Margaret Gardiner was the first South African woman to win Miss Universe in 1978, followed by Tebow in 2017. In 2019, Zozibini Tunzi became the third South African beauty queen to win the pageant.
