Robert Marawa is one of South Africa's most recognised sports broadcasters.
He is also one of the country's highest-earning tv and radio personalities.
Robert had dreams of becoming a lawyer and signed up for a law degree at Wits University in 1992.
But fate had other plans for the star.
Here's a look at Robert Marawa's biography.
Robert Marawa age
Robert Marawa was born on March 1, 1973. He turned 46 years old in 2019. He grew up in KwaZulu-Natal’s Vryheid community. Robert spent most of his childhood in the province before relocating to Gauteng. He completed his secondary school education at Hilton College, near Pietermaritzburg.
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Robert Marawa Family
Robert Marawa has two sisters – Vanessa Marawa, who gained fame on Survivor SA, and Gugu Marawa, who has also made a name for herself in the sports industry.
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Robert's father, Frank Marawa, died in 2016. He told the Sunday Times in a 2018 interview that he learned a lot about fatherhood from his dad.
“It was always important in the time that I was with him ... to really extract as much as I could from him, see him as that role model, that leader, that father ... I've never spent December anywhere else but home ... So the whole essence of family is what he was all about, that's what he espoused, that's what I hope to kind of carry on because it is important,” Robert said.
Robert has described his mother, Phumlile Marawa, as a strong woman. He particularly admired her strength after the passing of his father.
“My father passed away in front of us… At the ward, I held my father’s left hand and Vanessa held his right hand. My mom said dad has passed away and we must accept it. She removed the oxygen and thanked the nurses for caring for my father That moment was hard, that my dad was gone but my mom was very strong and comforted us,” he told The Sunday Tribune.
Robert’s parents had been married for 52 years.
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Robert Marawa Career, TV
Robert Marawa’s got his big career break in 1996. He landed a job as a continuity presenter on SABC 1. One year later, he ventured into sports broadcasting and so began his rise to the top on the industry.
Robert presented a football show called Laduma on Topsport. He covered the 1998 Fifa World Cup for the show and impressed viewers with his football knowledge.
Robert has also hosted Soccerzone, Blow by Blow and several soccer shows on SuperSport.
He has made a name for himself in the radio industry as well. Robert hosted Discovery Sports Centre and Sports @6 on Metro FM.
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Robert Marawa Salary
Robert Marawa is one of South Arica’s highest-paid broadcasters. He reportedly signed a three-year contract with the SABC in 2018 worth more than R5 million. His monthly salary was reported to be around R154 000. The SABC later rescinded the contract after an investigation found that officials did not follow the correct internal procedures.
Robert has several other sources of income and some reports have suggested his total earnings every month are around R300 000.
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Robert Marawa Fired
Robert Marawa made headline in May 2019 when he was fired from SuperSport – allegedly via SMS. The sports channel said in a statement that it was in “the process of an exciting refresh of its local presenter line-up” and decided not to renew his contract.
Robert hit back, hinting that he was given the boot for exposing sexual harassment in the workplace. SuperSport denied the allegation.
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Shortly after his departure, Robert announced plans to start an online sports channel on YouTube.
Robert Marawa wife, girlfriend, Pearl Thusi
While Robert Marawa has come close to tying the knot in the past, he does not have a wife. He has been in relationships with several high-profile women, including Pearl Thusi. Robert and Pearl were engaged at one point, but their wedding plans came to an end in 2017 when they went their separate ways. Robert also dated actress Zoe Mthiyane.
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Robert Marawa baby mama
Robert Marawa has a child with his ex-girlfriend, Zoe Mthiyane. Their son Awande was born in July 2011. Robert’s co-parenting relationship with his baby mother was not a smooth one. Zoe accused Robert of failing to pay child maintenance and neglecting their son. Robert’s baby mama drama turned ugly in 2015 when Zoe wrote an open letter addressed to Robert.
“My lawyers and I will proceed with all legal options available to ourselves to make you take responsibility for your son’s psychological, emotional and financial well being. This responsibility has now fallen upon my partner’s shoulders, while you enjoy a life of luxury in full public view,” she wrote in the letter. Robert denied the claims.
They have since sorted out their differences and are co-parenting their son without further drama.
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Robert Marawa heart attack
Robert Marawa suffered a heart attack in 2019 - his third in 10 years.
“I literally drove myself from home after not feeling well, and I said ‘Let me go and admit myself, because there is a pain that is not making sense’. Within a couple of hours, I was in ICU and there is where I have been for the past six or seven days,” he said in a video he shared on Twitter.
The sports broadcaster suffered his first heart attack in 2008 and a second in 2017.
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Robert Marawa House
Despite his high earnings, Robert Marawa is not a flashy celebrity. He is yet to reveal any details about his house or shared pictures of the place.
