Sonia Booth proves she still has it as she returns to the runway for David Tlale’s Restoration show at SA Fashion Week

Model and former beauty queen Sonia Booth has reminded South Africans that true star power does not fade with time, stepping back onto the runway at David Tlale’s Restoration (Spring/Summer 2026/27) fashion show during South African Fashion Week in Johannesburg on 20 October.

The former beauty queen commanded attention at the Joburg City Library, bringing her experience, poise and unmistakable model presence to the runway years after establishing herself in the fashion industry.

For Sonia, the moment was more than a fashion appearance. It was a reminder that she remains a force in her own right, even after years away from the runway spotlight and a highly publicised divorce from former Bafana Bafana footballer Matthew Booth.

She may have entered a different chapter of her life, but when it comes to owning a runway, Sonia showed that she has not lost her touch.

Long before her name became associated with one of South Africa’s most talked-about celebrity breakups, Sonia was making her mark as a model and beauty queen.

She built a public profile through the world of beauty, fashion and entertainment, eventually becoming recognised as one of the country’s established former models. Her experience in front of the camera and on the runway helped shape the confident public persona audiences have come to know.

Returning to a fashion platform after years of balancing family life, business interests and personal challenges, Sonia demonstrated that modelling is not simply about youth. It is also about confidence, discipline, presentation and the ability to carry a look.

Her appearance at Tlale’s show was a celebration of that longevity. While the fashion industry is often criticised for placing young faces at the centre of attention, Sonia’s return offered a reminder that established models can still bring presence and personality to the catwalk.

And if her latest appearance is anything to go by, she still knows exactly how to work a runway.

From a celebrated marriage to a public breakup

Sonia’s personal life became a subject of national conversation in November 2022, when she publicly accused her then-husband, former professional footballer Matthew Booth, of having an affair.

The couple had been married for approximately 16 years and shared two sons. Their relationship had long been viewed as one of South Africa’s high-profile celebrity marriages, making the allegations particularly shocking to the public.

Sonia took to social media to detail what she said were signs of an alleged affair, sharing dates, photographs and information she claimed had helped her piece together what was happening.

In her posts, she alleged that the relationship had begun on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2022. She also shared details of alleged trips, meetings and gifts that she believed pointed to an affair with another woman, identified in media reports as Bongani Mthombeni-Möller.

Matthew disputed the allegations at the time, describing them as unfounded and indicating that his legal team would deal with the matter.

One of the most memorable details of the scandal was the cheesecake incident, which quickly became known online as “Cheesecake Gate”.

Sonia alleged that Matthew had baked a cheesecake late one evening, leading her and the family to believe it was intended for their son’s birthday celebrations. However, she later suspected that the cake had been made for the woman she accused him of seeing.

According to Sonia’s account, the cake had disappeared by the following morning. She subsequently described leaving its container in the garage where Matthew parked his car as a way of showing him that she knew what was allegedly happening.

The details, shared publicly on social media, turned a deeply personal marital crisis into a national talking point. The story spread beyond celebrity news, with South Africans debating the allegations and the decision to make private relationship issues public.

Sonia later channelled the attention surrounding the incident into a business venture, Marula Cheesecake Passion, demonstrating how she sought to turn a painful experience into an entrepreneurial opportunity.

The scandal, however, was about far more than a missing dessert. It exposed the breakdown of a marriage and the emotional consequences of allegations of infidelity playing out in public.