SUN City's Superbowl in North West played host to the crowning of the most beautiful teenager in South Africa on Saturday.

Crowd favourite Celeste Khumalo emerged as winner of Miss Teen SA 2011, with Tarsha Jenneker taking second place and Alexis van der Merwe taking third place. Khumalo takes over from Eastern Cape's Mikaela Oosthuizen.

The 18-year-old from Sandton smiled bravely through her tears after she was crowned Miss Teen SA.

" I am excited to serve as a positive role model to young girls across South Africa," said the Parktown Girls High pupil, who has just finished writing matric.

Khumalo left fans nervous whens she stumbled with her onstage question.

Fortunately for her all but one finalists stumbled through the answers.

The questions were not the usual pageantry questions asked by judges. They were selected from a list sent by the public via social networks.

For the past three years Celeste had taken small baby steps as a pageant contestant.

This was her second take of Miss Teen. In 2008, at only 15, she made it to the top five of the competition. She was also runner-up in the Miss Million Dollar pageant in 2010. Recently she was a second princess in Miss Rivonia.

As a result of her pageant experiences her excited mother, Nomsa Khumalo, said Celeste had developed important life skills that had helped her reach many goals in life.

"I am very proud of her. She is a very grounded child and has a beautiful spirit that grabs hold and infuses others with energy and charm. I know she will be a good role model," said the mother of two who is an interior designer.

Celeste, eyes filled with tears of joy, held on to her crown and gently walked around the stage, thanking the audience and waving at them before hugging her proud mother.