‘It's important for women to have these conversations': Sonia opens up about marriage to Matthew Booth

The Citizen

09-07-2025

Sonia said she started seeing cracks in her marriage after they returned to South Africa and Booth played for a team in Cape Town.
Sonia Pule, formerly Booth, is part of Untied, a talk show series that unpacks the complex world of divorce through the stories of famous women who have lived it. Picture: Supplied
Speaking about past trauma can be a crucial step in the healing process for someone to deal with their pain.
The demand to speak about one's agony is heightened when a person is famous, and there are a few things that are considered 'juicier' than the end of a marriage between two famous people.
From Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – history is full of break-up stories.
Model and businesswoman Sonia 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.
An episode has been released each week on Multichoice's streaming platform, with the first being Real Housewives of Durban cast member Nonku Williams, followed by media personality Palesa Madisakwane.
An episode featuring Malusi Gigaba's ex-wife, Noma Mngoma, was set to be broadcast before Williams' episode but was temporarily halted by the politician, fearing that his ex-wife would speak about Gigaba's alleged infidelity during their marriage and the use of public funds.
ALSO READ: Sonia drops receipts about Matthew Booth's infidelity and cheesecake betrayal
Sonia on 'Untied'
Sonia and Booth's split is one of the most highly publicised in recent South African history.
Known as the 'cheesecake story', Sonia discovered that her former husband had allegedly 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.
She expressed how Booth's time in Cape Town presented certain challenges.
'You get insecure; I struggled to lose weight after Noah. That also brings about insecurities, you start judging yourself, you don't appreciate yourself,' she said, explaining how she felt at the time.
ALSO READ: Radio 2000 broadcaster Ntombi Meso mends childhood traumas through her children's book
Sonia and her dark skin complexion
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.
'Especially after Face of Africa,' she said.
Sonia's modelling career began in 1998 and led to her representing Southern Africa in the Mnet Face of Africa competition in 1999.
'We were dark, and there were some girls who were darker than me, and you look at some of these women, your Alek Wek complexion, and you just can't stop staring at them because you're like 'wow',' shared Sonia.
'I'm talking about the kind of beauty that will make you do what you're not supposed to do, you know it's rude to stare at somebody, but these are some of the women that took part and I started embracing my dark complexion.'
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.
NOW READ: Malusi Gigaba blocks screening of ex-wife's tell-all Showmax interview