For Relebogile Mabotja, the real draw has never been the microphone, the camera, or the trophy potential that comes with being seen. Her focus is people—specifically, the moments they choose to share when they trust the person holding the conversation.
“I love people, and I love getting to know and understand them through their vulnerability, honesty and storytelling,” she says.
“This platform, and the viewers and listeners who continue to engage with it, are a gift I do not take for granted.”
Mabotja’s Relebogile Mabotja Podcast, produced through her own Lebotja Media Production, has now earned her a nomination for Podcast Presenter of the Year at the Basadi in Music Awards 2026—an acknowledgement of her expanding influence within South Africa’s podcasting scene.
“Knowing that my little corner of the industry, and the contribution I continue to make within it, is seen is something I will always be deeply grateful for,” Mabotja says.
“Conversations have the power to create sharing, connection, laughter, healing and truth, and I hope to continue playing my part through this powerful medium.”
Why her podcast stands out
The podcast has grown its reputation on that same idea: giving guests space to go beyond the headline and into the real story. The series leans into long-form, unhurried discussions that encourage public figures, entrepreneurs and creatives to open up in ways that feel more human than performative.
Her lineup has included comedian Celeste Ntuli, musician Donald, education advocate Gugulethu Ndebele, and reality TV stars from Married at First Sight Mzansi. In each case, Mabotja approaches the session less like a traditional interview and more like an invitation for honesty—one that makes it easier for guests to speak freely.
A media career built over nearly two decades
Mabotja has been honing that conversational skill for close to 20 years. She began her media journey at 18 as a production assistant on e.TV’s Craz-e, and since then she has moved across multiple areas of entertainment, including acting, radio, music production, and executive production.
Previously, she explained that people who know her best from a single on-screen role are often surprised when they see her take on something completely different.
Her radio career includes time at Talk Radio 702 and Metro FM. On Metro FM, she co-anchored the Fresh Breakfast Show before shifting into the afternoon drive slot on The Kings Suite. She later returned to 702 with Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja. On television, she has presented Unpacked with Relebogile Mabotja on SABC 3, while earlier acting credits include Rhythm City and Isidingo.
Producing beyond the microphone
Off-screen, Mabotja also leads Lebotja Media, her music and podcast production business. She works alongside Black Swan Media, the company behind live broadcasts for Miss South Africa, as well as The Voice South Africa and The Single Wives SA.
Her behind-the-scenes contributions include work on the Miss SA 2022 Live Finale, which earned a South African Film and Television Award for Best Entertainment Show. In 2024, she was named executive producer of the SAFTAs.
Basadi in Music Awards 2026 nomination
The Basadi in Music Awards highlight women’s contributions across music, media and entertainment through a public nomination and voting system.
For Mabotja, the nod is a sign that her approach—building one candid conversation at a time—is resonating. “For now, Mabotja says the nomination is simply confirmation that the work – built one honest conversation at a time – is landing,” with the host adding that she hopes to keep contributing through the same platform.
“I hope to continue playing my part through this powerful medium,” she says.
Read more | Loyiso Bala bids farewell to Umhlobo Wenene FM and truFM after 5 years
