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.
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. Robert Marawa and his sister Vanessa Marawa (Source: Instagram)
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 Marawa, his mother, and son (Source: Instagram)
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 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.
In 2021, Robert and SABC parted ways, marking the end of his time at Metro FM. SABC said in a short statement that Robert was leaving the media house as his show Marawa Sports Worldwide was coming to an end.
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.
Robert Marawa and his son together with Pearl Thusi (Source: Instagram)
Robert Marawa Baby Mama (Zoe Mthiyane)
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.
Robert Marawa VS SuperSport Robert Marawa made headlines 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.
South African Football Association(SAFA)🇿🇦 has chastised SABC for terminating veteran sports journalist Robert Marawa. In their criticism, SAFA included Supersport and promised to approach the SABC to discuss this for the future of the football in South Africa. ⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/DXwT6wWQBJ
Robert Marawa VS SABC (Metro FM) Robert Marawa seems to have a harsh departure with his employers as he also alleged that SABC sacked him via a WhatsApp message. Speaking on Twitter, Robert said that he was sacked by a person who was in a "acting" position. The person who fired Robert was later identified as Kina Nhlengethwa an acting station manager at SAfm Radio
So after serving the Public Broadcaster through time, I am sent yet another text from a person in an "acting" position informing me of this.👇🏾👇🏾 Same modus operandi as SS.
Robert was fired a day after his show Marawa Sports Worldwide won SA Sports Awards for the position of Best Sports Show Commercial. This termination of employment was not the first as Robert has once been fired by SABC in 2017 but they re-employed him after high public demand.
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 that 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.
Episode 291 featuring @robertmarawa is now available on all podcasting platforms and YouTube. @robertmarawa on Heart Attack, Sports Broadcasting, Getting fired, SABC and Pearl thusi.
Robert Marawa is one of South Africa’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. He is currently going solo and managing his YouTube TV Channel called Marawa TV.
Robert has several other sources of income and some reports have suggested his total earnings every month are around R300 000.
