Contestant from South Africa wins Miss Universe crown

The woman representing South Africa has won the Miss Universe crown.

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, who recently earned a business management degree and teaches self-defense courses for women, was crowned Sunday during the event at the Planet Hollywood casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip. 

The 22-year-old winner has earned a yearlong salary, a luxury apartment in New York City for the duration of her reign and more prizes.

Her passion for self-defense was reinforced when she was hijacked and held at gunpoint in Johannesburg about a month after winning her title as Miss South Africa. 

Steve Harvey returned as the show’s host despite botching the 2015 Miss Universe crowning, naming the wrong contestant as the winner. 

Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is crowned the 2017 Miss Universe following the conclusion of the pageant at The Axis at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas

Steve Harvey asks a question of Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters. Harvey returned as the show’s host despite botching the 2015 Miss Universe crowning, naming the wrong contestant as the winner 

Ninety-two women from around the world participated in the decades-old competition. This year’s edition had the most contestants ever, including the first ever representatives of Cambodia, Laos and Nepal.

Throughout Sunday’s event, Harvey poked fun at his mishap in 2015, when he declared Miss Colombia the winner, though it was actually Miss Philippines who won.

Harvey told the audience he is ‘grateful for the Oscars,’ referring to the similar best-picture announcement flub at this year’s Academy Awards.

During the competition’s Q&A portion, Harvey asked Nel-Peters about what she thought was the most important issue facing women in the workplace.

‘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,’ she said. ‘I think we should have equal work for equal pay for women all over the world.’

In June, Nel-Peters was the victim of a vicious armed hijacking attempt in Johannesburg.

Three armed men approached her car as she was driving, but she escaped unharmed after she managed to exit her vehicle and a Good Samaritan intervened and drove her away.

Her purse and car were later recovered at the scene by a private security company, according to a statement from the Miss South Africa office. 

Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (left) and runner up Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez (right) in the swimsuit portion

Other contestants congratulate Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (center) after she was named 2017 Miss Universe

From left, final five finalists Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez, Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett, Miss Thailand Maria Poonlertlarp, Miss Venezuela Keysi Sayago and Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters wait to hear the final winner

At Sunday’s event, Grammy-Award winner Fergie performed her new song ‘A Little Work’ while the contestants walked down the stage wearing evening gowns. 

The runner-up for Miss Universe was Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez, while the second runner-up was Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett. 

This year’s judges included YouTube star Lele Pons, former judge of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ Jay Manuel and Wendy Fitzwilliam, the 1998 Miss Universe winner from Trinidad and Tobago.

In 2015, President Donald Trump offended Hispanics when he made anti-immigrant remarks in announcing his bid for the White House.

At the time, he co-owned The Miss Universe Organization with NBCUniversal, but the network and the Spanish-language broadcaster Univision quickly cut ties with him, refusing to air the show. Trump sued both networks, eventually settling and selling off the entire pageant to talent management company WME/IMG.

Steve Harvey, center, takes the stage at the Miss Universe pageant Sunday in Las Vegas

Contestants stand on stage at the Miss Universe pageant Sunday in Las Vegas