South African beauty queen Lerato Tshehla has broken her silence about her experience with S fiso Hlongwane, raising serious concerns over financial arrangements, trust and the emotional distress she says she experienced during her journey to represent South Africa at Universal Woman in Cambodia.
In an official statement, Tshehla explained that her decision to speak publicly was not motivated by the outcome of the competition, but by what she describes as a painful experience behind the scenes. According to her, the situation involved money she paid, an agreement she entered into, and an international licence fee that she says was never settled.
Tshehla stated that she and Hlongwane had agreed to share the expenses associated with her Universal Woman journey on a 50/50 basis. She says she paid him money under this arrangement and has proof of payment. However, she alleges that her international licence fee remained unpaid, despite her travelling to Cambodia to represent South Africa.
For Tshehla, the issue goes beyond the financial aspect. She described the emotional toll of placing her trust in someone while pursuing a dream that meant a great deal to her. Representing her country on an international stage was a significant opportunity, but she says the uncertainty surrounding the arrangements left her dealing with stress and emotional pain instead of fully enjoying the experience.
One of the most serious concerns raised in her statement relates to what she describes as false proof of payment allegedly sent to the international directors. Tshehla says she has evidence relating to her experience and believes the matter needs to be addressed. These remain allegations presented in her statement, and the claims have not been independently verified here. Hlongwane’s response was not included in the material available for this article.
Her account has also brought attention to the importance of transparency and accountability in the pageant industry, particularly when contestants depend on organisers, national directors or representatives to manage international participation fees and other expenses.
International pageant opportunities often require contestants to navigate a range of financial commitments, including registration costs, travel, accommodation, wardrobe and other competition-related expenses. For aspiring queens, understanding exactly who is responsible for each payment can be crucial. Tshehla’s experience, as she describes it, highlights the potential consequences when financial arrangements are not clearly communicated or fulfilled.
Addressing young women who aspire to represent South Africa internationally, Tshehla urged them to exercise caution before committing financially to pageant opportunities. She encouraged contestants to research the people they are dealing with, verify that representatives are officially authorised, and confirm payments directly with the relevant international organisation before travelling.
Her warning was clear: promises alone should never replace proper verification.
Despite the difficulties she says she experienced, Tshehla made it clear that she remains proud of having travelled to Cambodia and represented her country. She does not want the alleged problems behind the scenes to diminish the significance of that achievement.
Her statement reflects a distinction that is important in pageantry: a contestant can be proud of her international experience while still raising concerns about how that experience was managed. Winning a crown is not the only measure of a queen’s journey, and speaking about alleged misconduct does not necessarily mean rejecting the opportunity itself.
As the pageant community considers the concerns raised, questions about financial accountability, communication and the responsibilities of those managing international contestants are likely to remain central to the discussion. A transparent response from the relevant parties, alongside a fair examination of any supporting evidence, would be important in establishing the facts.
For now, Tshehla’s message to aspiring contestants is one of caution and self-protection. She wants young women to safeguard their dreams, finances and peace of mind while pursuing opportunities that could change their lives.
Her closing message captures the heart of her statement: her dream was never the problem. The pain she says she experienced along the way is what she wants people to understand.
Model Guide will continue to follow developments surrounding this matter as further information becomes available.
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
