Coming Up: People Of The South

Coming up on People Of The South, Sundays, 20:30 on SABC 3

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Episode 2: Jacob Zuma

Meet Jacob Zuma at his Pretoria state residence, Mhlamba Ndlopfu, as he reminisces about his success with stick fighting as a young boy and his family obligations to herd cattle instead of going to school. Hear more about his time on Robben Island –and upon his release, his strengthened resolve to continue fighting apartheid by organizing effective underground structures in the Durban area prior to going into exile. Then travel with Dali to KwaZulu-Natal, where we are allowed a rare insight into Jacob Zuma: the father and leader of the Zuma clan at Nkandla, the place where he was born and grew up, and to which he regularly returns to take care of family matters. Join us for lunch with the President and some of his children, who show us a different side of their father, as they share memories of growing up in his limelight, how he never lifted a finger in anger and how they had to teach him how to say ‘I love you’.

 

Episode 3: Advocate Thuli Madonsela

In this week’s episode of People of the South, briefly meet South Africa’s Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela at work and hear from her team what surprises them during their long investigations. Then join Advocate Madonsela as she shops up a storm at her favourite neighbourhood food market, telling Dali about life growing up, the influence of her street trading parents, the father of her two children and being a single mother. Later, as she cooks and prepares dinner in her beautiful golf estate home, find out why her son called the police rather than his mom when he crashed her BMW and what the upside is of being Thuli Madonsela’s son. Hear whether she thinks South Africa is a hopelessly corrupt society and whether she dishes out shame like Father Christmas dishes out Christmas presents. Discover if she has sleepless nights when investigating cases of people she knows, why it is not politicians who are the main culprits of fraud, and why allegations of corruption as well as an affair with her CEO sadden but don’t break her. Listen to her daughter Wenzile and two of her closest friends tell Dali over dinner what it’s like living with South Africa’s ‘Queen of Morality’, why a soft-spoken word is always mightier than a harsh one, and who the winner would be, if Dali and Advocate Madonsela had a row.

 

Episode 4: Judy Page

Join us as we enjoy a peek into the little Judy who always wanted to sing and dance in Zimbabwe. Travel through time as we celebrate her star-studded career after moving to South Africa, go shopping with her and her daughter, meet her dogs and discover what a beautiful painter she is. Share intimate moments during an interview that had her daughter in tears, as she questions her role as a mother, talks about her 5 marriages and reveals her innermost personal feelings and thoughts about her love of performing. Then stay with Dali as we join Judy’s family dinner with laughter and stories. Enjoy for the first time, the 3 generations – Judy, Kim and Sarah-Paige – sing together.

Episode 5: Dr Christo Wiese

In this episode we watch Dr Christo Wiese, one of the wealthiest men in SA, grow up and learn his secret on to how to attain wealth. We have a relaxed talk with him on the beach in front of his house about his student days, the days of Apartheid and the splitting up of the Afrikaans elite groups at university. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner at his home with his wife, Caro, and his children where Dali asks what’s like to be born into wealth? Meet a family friend, Marianne Louw, who undertook the interior decoration of the famous Lanzerac Hotel, owned at the time by Dr Wiese. We are also joined by another family friend founder of Big Concerts, Attie van Wyk and his wife. Raymond Ackerman, one of his fiercest competitors, made some interesting comments about Dr Wiese.

Episode 6: Malcolm Dorfman

Malcolm Dorfman takes us through his childhood memories in Johannesburg, his student life at Wits University as an athlete. We join him at the training of the Black Belt Club and get to see Malcolm in action with the young and old karatekas. He shares personal and painful memories, his passion for karate, his tough upbringing of his two sons, and the loss of his wife Janis of over 20 years. Dali joins Malcolm and friends for dinner, where they share anecdotes of Malcolm as a friend, father, Sensei, and lover. We also discover Malcolm’s other passion: he’s an avid alpine skier, taking annual trips to Switzerland.

Episode 7: Peter de Villiers

The wonderfully human, humble and ever positive Peter de Villiers talks to Dali over coffee, about his ups and downs at the hands of a sport he loves…rugby. He talks candidly about the sex tape episode and what it did to his family; how coaching the Springboks was his passion and whether he believes he made a success of the job. We meet his parents at their home – they are very proud of their son and what he has achieved. We visit Peter at his home in Paarl where he grew up and chat to his ever supporting and vivacious wife Theresa. He hosts a truly South African braai surrounded by some of his long standing friends, in particular Eben Niemann (The Voice), a family friend and well- known announcer at Newlands. Amidst warm hospitality and joviality we see a side of Peter not often seen before. We also eavesdrop on one of Peter’s “Men’s Group” sessions. Peter has set up these morning discussions to help support and motivate the men in his community.

Episode 8: Baleka Mbete

In this week’s episode of People of the South, meet Dali Tambo as he interviews ANC Chairperson Baleka Mbete in South Africa’s other centre of power, Luthuli House, and find out about the importance of music in her family home. Hear about the political influence of her mother and how she became a snappy dresser from an early age, defending her right to look good, no matter what. Find out about the sacrifices Ms Mbete made as a young mother in exile, and the toll it takes on a marriage. Discover how difficult it was moving into Parliament after a life in exile and the unrivalled joy that went with helping draft the country’s first democratic Constitution. Then join Ms Mbete as she dines with Dali Tambo, close friend Mandla Langa, her son Neo, her nephew Njabulo and her young niece Buhle at her beautiful home in Northcliff, Johannesburg. Over chicken and a fine peppermint crisp dessert, hear about the difficulties of raising children in exile, her fears for her son Neo who wants to go into politics and her hopes for young women like her niece Buhle, whose free-spiritedness is a welcome reminder for her not to take life too seriously. Finally, be amazed by the life of a woman whose life could have taken a dramatically different turn had she not chosen politics, or better yet: had politics not chosen her. This week’s episode promises to be an eye-opening tribute to one of South Africa’s strongest women who have helped lead the country to where it is today.

Episode 9: Robert Whitehead

Robert Whitehead tells us about being a veteran in the television industry, his love for interior décor, the performing arts and the downside of being famous. Robert has spent more than 30 years in the entertainment industry, which he describes as three decades of feast and famine. While his career has been rich and varied, Robert says he’s not made a lot of money out of acting. He shares stories about great moments coinciding and how grateful he is to have been given this opportunity as an actor over the age of 50.

He takes us through his personal space, painted to reflect his colourful life in the entertainment and television industry. The episode ends with a dinner Robert shares with close friends. Dali explores the intimate community of friendship between Robert, Vanessa Cooke, Gretha Fox, Fiona Ramsay and Johan Engels.

**Press Release

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