Photo Credit: Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters' Instagram

Every nation has that one very famous political figure that is supported and opposed by equal people in a nation and with equal intensity. Late politician Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is that one figure for South Africa.

Miss Universe 2017, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, is in the category that supported the politician. So, naturally, after the passing of the politician, Demi showed her affection for the politician by putting up an Instragram post about Mandela. She however might not have realized the backlash she was about to receive for the same.

To provide a little history to the incident, and the reason for the consistent comments on Demi’s post, Mandela had a very controversial quote, that Demi posted on her Instagram.

The quote goes like this: ‘Together, hand in hand, with our matches and our necklaces, we shall liberate this country.’

While to someone with little to no knowledge of the country’s political scenario, the quote might seem harmless, the quote actually contains triggers that would probably offend a South African. Just like they did in this scenario. The word necklace and the matches that the quote talks about go hand in hand. Necklacing is referred to the practice of summary execution and torture carried out by forcing a rubber tyre, filled with petrol, around a victim's chest and arms, and setting it on fire. The victim may take up to 20 minutes to die, suffering severe burns in the process.

In South Africa necklacing was used by the black community to punish its members who were perceived as collaborators with the apartheid government. These included black policemen, town councilors and others, as well as their relatives and associates. In 1986 Winnie Mandela, then-wife of the imprisoned Nelson Mandela, stated "With our boxes of matches and our necklaces we shall liberate this country" which was widely seen as an explicit endorsement of necklacing.

It becomes easier to see why Demi faced the wrath of netizens after her post that clearly brought back pride with relation a tough and torturous history.

Thus, Demi quickly removed the post and replaced it with this one.

It’s just the price of being a public idol.