Molshidisi's winning ways

At 34, Motshidisi Mohono is highly regarded as one of South Africa's top sports broadcasters. Koketso Mashika talks to her about starting out, standing out and staying true to yourself.

- Koketso Mashika

The name Motshidisi Mohono is synonymous with sports broadcasting in South Africa. Soon after building a career in local radio, she stepped in front of the SuperSport cameras and has risen to become their senior rugby anchor. Her impact on sports journalism and representation cannot be overstated. She has been a trailblazer in the industry and has paved the way for other women to pursue careers in sports broadcasting.

But her passion for sport began many years ago. “I played netball throughout school and began hockey in high school,” she says. She also excelled academically, obtaining four distinctions in Matric and claiming her place as one the top 20 performers in her high school.

Motshidisi grew up in Katlehong, in the East Rand, and although she had a great childhood, it was not without its challenges. Her mother, a nurse, worked overseas for some time. Being an 11-year-old girl without her mother made the transition from preteen to teenager all the more difficult.

“My dad was a super-dad, though,” she says. “He was always there for me and my siblings. He was there when we were all born. He took us to school every day and would even wake up early to make us school lunches. He also loved sports and would watch soccer matches with us when we were kids.”

RIDING THE RADIO WAVES

After high school, Motshidisi attended the University of Johannesburg (UJ), where she obtained a BCom Accounting degree. She had dreamed of becoming a chartered accountant, but then the radio bug bit. “All of a sudden I had all this time on my hands, so I decided to audition at UJ FM. I ended up working as a newsreader on the daily breakfast show,” she says.