Meet Hulisani Ravele. A child star who took presenting to a whole new level and now a young career woman taking the corporate world by storm.

From presenting on YO TV, a short stint on 5FM, host of the Vodacom Millionaire competition on SABC, back to her own show on UJFM known as the ‘phD experience’, and finally a new gig as the host of I am South African on the trend- setting 24 hour news channel, ANN7, Hulisani is going places - and we haven’t even seen the half of it yet!

I Am South African was recently launched together with the South African Of The Year Awards, which will take place in September. The show and awards celebrate South Africans who are doing great things in fields such as business and entertainment “in the spirit of humanity”. 

I just had to find out more about the grown up Hulisani Ravele.

You are now part of the ANN7 family; tell me about your show?

The show celebrates South Africans from all walks of life, like the awards do. I get to facilitate conversations with extraordinary South Africans in business, entertainment, sport, youth, philanthropy, and by sharing these stories, the show inspires others and it’s a rewarding experience.

What made you quit radio?

When I joined UJFM I wanted to really learn and understand how the systems work and be able to run my own show and walk away from there proudly being able to call myself a radio presenter. When the offer for I Am South African came along I had reached that point at UJFM and with the hectic schedule that the TV show came with, I decided to take a break from radio to focus my full attention and energy into making I Am South African that success that I wanted it to be.

In your days as a YO TV presenter, you were known as CC but you now introduce yourself as Hulisani, Why did you change your name?

Growing up, reverting to using my first name was a part of the strategy to introduce myself as a grown up TV presenter. The two names represent two periods in my life as an entertainer, the young me and the not-so-young-anymore me. (laughs).

Academically, what do you have?

I’m a BCom Marketing Management graduate from UJ.

Tell me about your previous corporate job and why you decided to go back to TV?

I worked as an Account Exec, a Professional Assistant to the CEO, and then as a Project Manager at Praekelt Digital. I always had corporate ambitions, sitting in boardrooms, strategising, solving problems, leading projects. Eventually I felt that I had proved to myself that I can do it. But I then had to follow what I believe is my calling; I had a conversation with God, handed in my resignation and so far, so good (smiles).

How does your day start and end?

It usually starts with a session with my trainer at 6am, then some admin, meetings or a shoot for I Am South African, I then head to a voice-over at 2pm, and then 4pm I’m at ANN7 and heading into make-up and hair. Show goes live at 6pm; I come off air at 7pm and then usually come home and work and watch some TV.

Looking back in your days as a child star, would you say growing up in the lime-light was easy? 

I travelled and met people I know I would not have met had I not been on TV at that time. Disadvantages, I could not be a normal child and make the mistakes a regular teenager makes because everyone is always watching you. It wasn’t always easy but I believe everything happens for a reason and because I started on television so young I am where I am today.

Expected to take viewers on an inspirational and informative journey, I Am South African airs daily on DStv channel 405.