Two young beauty pageant competitors from Welkom have returned home with four international titles between them, after representing South Africa at separate competitions in Turkey during May.

Shivani Williams (13) and Lesedi Khatoane (7) both claimed dual victories at their respective events, bringing international recognition to their Free State hometown and demonstrating the calibre of talent emerging from South Africa’s competitive pageant circuit.

Shivani, a Gr. 7 learner at the Welkom Preparatory School, competed at the World League of Beauty and Fashion (WLBF) pageants in Kusadasi, Turkey, where she secured the WLBF Miss Teen Universe and WLBF Little Supermodel Universe titles.

Lesedi, a Gr. 2 learner at the Riebeeckstad Primary School, claimed the Little Miss Universe 2026 crown and the Top Model of The World 2026 title.

Shivani has now secured 36 titles across local, provincial, and national competitions since beginning her pageant career at six years old. She won the Miss Welkom overall category winner title annually between 2021 and 2025.

Her earlier achievements include Little Miss Lejweleputswa first princess (2019), Miss Sandrivier (2019), Mr and Miss Matjhabeng junior queen (2023), Queen Tween of the Free State (2023), Miss Spring Fete (2025), and Divine Dreams (2026).

At national level, Shivani competed in Pageants South Africa events, winning Tiny Miss Teen South Africa (2023), Tiny Miss Teen Universe South Africa (2023), and Miss Pre-Teen World South Africa (2023 and 2024). She finished as the Miss Pre-Teen South Africa first princess in 2023 and 2024, and held the Miss Pre-Teen Free State title in both years.

She added the Miss Pre-Teen Tourism South Africa 2026 crown at a competition held in Brakpan in March 2026.

To fund her international participation, Shivani hosted her first pageant event, Mr and Miss Sassy Queen 2026, at the Goldfields Casino hall on 31 January 2026. The fundraiser enabled her to travel to Turkey to compete.

Lesedi has amassed an impressive collection of more than 25 pageant titles since beginning her modelling career at two and a half years old in 2021. Her pageantry journey started with the Little Miss Welkom first princess title in 2021, the same year she won Little Miss RSA Province. In 2022, she claimed the Little Miss Welkom winner crown.

The young model’s success accelerated in 2024 when she won the Miss Welkom, Miss Tiny South Africa (Free State), and Miss Free State pageants, and secured first princess at the Miss Matjhabeng contest.

During 2025, Lesedi dominated the pageant circuit with multiple victories in the Miss Junior Face of South Africa, Miss Oh so Recto, Miss Pure Heart, Miss Darling Diva overall winner, Miss Mini Destiny Helpers, Miss Casual Fashion Queen contests. She was also the overall winner of the Miss Casual Bling beauty pageant.

Earlier in 2026, she won the title of Miss Tiny Sassy Queen, was the overall winner of Miss Junior Sassy Queen, and Miss Petite Tourism first princess, securing her qualification to represent South Africa at the international competition in Turkey.

Following her triumph, Lesedei expressed gratitude to the people of South Africa who supported her dream. She acknowledged her mother, Seipati Khatoane, for guidance throughout her journey, her coach Monica Ferreira, national director Carolyn Baldwin Botha, and the Ashot International Organiser for making her international participation possible.