Media Darlings

Having both bagged SAFTA awards, THEMBISA, 34, and ANELE, 33, MDODA are making strides in the entertainment industry –but this is only the beginning…

- Phila Tyekana

Both are known as fun, larger-than-life personalities – and while they may both be equally recognisable forces in the entertainment industry, each sister is paving her own path in the local TV and radio scene.

Thembisa is the thespian,whose love for the arts saw her study drama and journalism at Wits University–and also graphic design at the University of Cape Town. While she’s most well known as Thabisile in the telenovela The Road, which won a South African Film and TV Award (SAFTA) in 2017, the actress has also starred in the drama series Home Affairs, and she has appeared in a number of theatre productions. She played Winnie Mandela in the play Stompie, and has also been in two stage shows at Grahams town’s National Arts Festival: Sis Dolly’s She been and Crocodile Tears.

Even though Our Perfect Wedding remains her biggest breakthrough into television, Thembisa’s CV includes a whole range of on-screen features – such as presenting a lifestyle show on Africa Magic called Vukani, and starring in e.tv’s Love Stories.

Thembisa kicked off her career – as did younger sister Anele – in radio, as a news reader at Voice of Wits. She later worked at High veld (now 94.7), and also the Vodacom powered Yebo Radio station. Thembisa’s currently the host of Let’s Do Lunch on Touch HD radio, which airs weekdays 11 – 1pm.