Miss South Africa has been forced to fend off allegations of racism after she was photographed wearing gloves to meet orphans with HIV.
Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters met children at soup kitchen in Johannesburg, handing out meals at what was intended to be a feel-good charity event.
The 22-year-old, who is mixed-race, said she wore disposable gloves for hygiene reasons as she was dishing out food at Ikageng community centre.
Winter is for yummy soup, fresh bread rolls and cozy blankies ? supporting @themaslowhotel ‘s #wintersoupdrive pic.twitter.com/n4lzOjpPTA
— Demi-LeighNel-Peters (@DemiLeighNP) July 5, 2017
All of the children at the soup kitchen on Wednesday were either orphans, HIV-positive, or both.
One Twitter user wrote: “I want to know why she would put on latex gloves to touch black children.”
Another said: “I really can’t believe ‘our’ Miss SA is wearing latex so that she can touch these kids!”
A third suggested she wore gloves “to protect herself from black kids” becaues she feared they would “contaminate her”.
The hashtag #MissSAChallenge went viral on Thursday, after thousands of South Africans posted photos poking fun of the beauty queen.
#MissSAChallenge
Was at work minding my own business but then i remembered. Hygiene 1st pic.twitter.com/Wf81zsdTT4— ?? 23rd June ?? (@Tumi_majadibodu) July 6, 2017
Some posted photos of themselves wearing gloves to type at a desk, make a drink, and read a book.
But the community centre described the social media storm as “ridiculous”, with programme director Carol Dyanti adding: “All volunteers, including our staff members, wore gloves during the food preparation. It was mandatory.
“It was such successful day and I am sorry that the focus is now on the glovs rather than the positive impact it had.”
To everyone asking about the gloves, I truly hope that you’ll hear my heart and understand that it came from a place of wanting to do good. pic.twitter.com/Pl5amM2gEM
— Demi-LeighNel-Peters (@DemiLeighNP) July 5, 2017
Miss Nel-Peters, in a video posted on Twitter, said: “We were handing out food to young kids and that was the only intention with wearing the gloves.
“It was purely to be as hygienic as possible. I really feel like my intention were really misunderstood but I would like to apologise if I offended anyone.”
Race remains a sensitive issue in South Africa, where apartheid ended in 1994.
