WeeklySA_AdminNEW LEASE: The ex-model features in Untied, an eight-episode talk show series that unpacks the complex world of divorce through the stories of famous women who have lived it…
By Lehlohonolo Lehana
Businesswoman and former model Sonia Pule, formerly Booth, unpacks the complex world of divorce through the stories of famous women who have lived it.
Pule split from her former husband, Matthew Booth, a few years ago, with their divorce finalised last year at the Johannesburg High Court.
“It’s important for women to have these conversations because social media has unearthed phoney and pretentious behaviours, ” said Sonia in the latest episode of Untied.
“We need to talk about real lives and daily struggles behind our smartphones. The lives without the filters. The days when you don’t have the strength to adult, where you just want to be left alone. Such honest convos remind you to check yourself. I always say: till it happens to you.’
Sonia is part of Untied, an eight-episode talk show series that unpacks the complex world of divorce through the stories of famous women who have lived it.
The Showmax programme is hosted by broadcaster Relebogile Mabotja.
Sonia and Booth’s split is one of the most highly publicised in recent South African history. She discovered that her former husband had baked a cheesecake for his mistress instead of their family.
Sonia said she started seeing some cracks in their marriage after the couple returned to South Africa and Booth played for Ajax Cape Town from around 2011 to 2013.
“Him moving to Cape Town to play for a local team, it presented challenges cause here I am, left back in Joburg. Cause now remember I was used to being alone with just Nathan, and now we move back to South Africa as a family and now he leaves Joburg to go to Cape Town,” said Sonia.
“It was hard. Here I am as a single parent now, that I did not sign up to be. A married single parent with two boys,” she said.
Sonia also opened up about being ostracised for her dark skin tone. “Sadly, in the townships it can be brutal,” she said.
“I mention my dark complexion because when I grew up, being as dark as I am, you’re automatically ugly. That saved me from boys, because they were not paying attention to me because I am ‘ugly’ remember,” shared Sonia.
She said she started receiving attention from the other sex when she began her modelling career.
Sonia was crowned second runner-up in the Miss SA 2001 beauty pageant, and in 2011 and 2012, she was selected to adjudicate the Miss SA beauty pageants.
Meanwhile MP Malusi Gigaba’s urgent bid to block his ex-wife Nomachule Mngoma’s TV interview about their failed marriage, allegations of infidelity and pornography has been struck from the roll. Judge Julian Yende struck the matter from the roll, finding it was not urgent.
MultiChoice executive head of legal for general entertainment, Brandon Vermeulen, said Mngoma had a right to speak about her marriage with Gigaba. He said her comments on Untied were her personal experiences.
“It is not unlawful, unfair, or unreasonable for MultiChoice to stream the show on which Ms Mngoma speaks about her marriage,” he said.
