Mathebula participated in the international teen pageant after winning Miss Teenager South Africa in late 2024.
Most South Africans were still mesmerised by the Protea Fire on Sunday, but 17-year-old Pearl Mathebula hoisted the flag as she was crowned Miss Teen International in Peru on the same day.
Mathebula, who hails from Makotopong, in Limpopo, took the coveted crown ahead of Perú’s Luciana Henriquez, who was the first runner-up, and Ángela García from Venezuela, who was the second runner-up.
Miss Teen International is the brainchild of Marina Mora, its international director and organiser.
Mathebula participated in the international teen pageant after winning the South African version of the teen crown in late 2024.
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Mathebula’s perseverance
Mathebula won Miss Teenager South Africa in 2024 after being unsuccessful in the previous year, where she reached the top 10 of the 2023 edition.
“I’m very proud; it shows that my hard work has actually paid off at the end of the day,” said Mathebula in 2024 during an interview with Newzroom Afrika.
The pageant-winning teen only started competing in pageantry competitions in 2022. “Last year [2023] was my second pageant. I wasn’t disappointed when I ended up [in the] top 10.”
She got into pageantry from following her interest in her appearance from a young age.
“I loved modelling when I was very small. I always wore my mom’s heals, I love dressing up, doing makeup, so I think that’s how I knew modelling was meant for me. My mom said ‘focus on school, and then when you’re in high school, you can focus more on modelling’,” she said.
Mathebula is an advocate for body positivity.
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