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Miss South Africa 2025 second runner-up Karabo Mareka has initiated legal action against an anonymous X account that has circulated a series of defamatory posts about her.
Under the handle “Salties_unmasked”, the account made several damning allegations concerning Mareka’s career, personal life and relationships.
In a statement issued on behalf of Mareka, 140 Media Group, the talent management agency representing her, distanced itself and the beauty queen from the claims.
“These publications did not originate from Ms Mareka, her family or any individual authorised to speak on her behalf,” said Mosa Kaiser, founder and CEO of 140 Media Group. “This agency will not lend legitimacy to anonymous, unsubstantiated claims by responding to them point by point.”
The agency has since instructed lawyers to review the matter and “reserves all rights available to Mareka ... including in respect of defamation and related causes of action”.
The X account claimed that Mareka, who works in the aviation sector, was fired from United Airlines after the airline allegedly discovered that she had lied about her reasons for travelling home to participate in the Miss SA pageant.
Mareka moved to the US in 2019 to work as an au pair before transitioning into the aviation industry as a commercial flight attendant. From there she worked her way up to becoming a qualified cabin host for VistaJet, a private aviation firm.
After competing in the Miss SA pageant, she returned to her role at United Airlines but later resigned “after realising she no longer found fulfillment in the commercial aviation space”.
With legal counsel now briefed, 140 Media Group is “taking active steps to protect Mareka’s reputation” and address what it says are entirely fabricated and malicious falsehoods.
TimesLIVE
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