Johannesburg, 28 March 2024 – S3 introduces a Turkish Drama slot, offering telenovela dubbed in English/Afrikaans, in the afternoon daily schedule from the 1^st of April 2024 at 16:30.

The 2021 Turkish produced Innocence will debut the slot on the 1^st of April, broadcasting from Mondays to Fridays at 16:30.

The plot of the series begins on an ordinary Wednesday night, when 19-year-old Ela Yuksel is found battered in a roadside ditch. While she survives the attack, her mother Bahar accuses the famous businessman Ilker Ilgaz with whom Ela has a romantic relationship with for being the one who attacked her. The chain of events that led to the atrocity the young college girl was exposed to started when she invited her father’s boss Ilker Ilgaz for a lecture at her school. Ela fell head-over-heels in love with Ilker after he showed an unexpected interest in her. She ignores the age difference and her mother’s objections.

This one relationship and the tragic night sets in motion a chain of events which hoists Ela into unprecedented public scrutiny and social humiliation, that even she begins to doubt herself. How will she tell her story? And will anyone believe her?

“We are very excited to launch this slot, and we couldn’t have done it with more apt drama. The story in INNOCENCE is aligned to the times of our modern society as it explores the unfortunate realities of transactional relationships, fame/popularity, cyber bullying, and gender-based violence that plague our modern society. We have seen the staggering increase in popularity of Turkish drama the world over, and South Africa is no exception. We have selected the most recently produced and compelling drama titles to ensure our viewers will be highly entertained on a daily basis”- Sane Zondi, S3 Head of Channel.

About S3

S3 is a revamped  channel servicing the independent thinker and the progressive South African millennial. We want our viewers to open up to new lands, new content, new ideas and new ways of being. Through this new positioning, S3 invites viewers to take in all the new programming that is on offer; to open up to a dialogue with your public broadcasting channel. Ultimately, our vision is to foster the spirit of curiosity and spearhead a generation of free thinkers. S3 is opening itself up to new viewers. These viewers, who fall under the millennial umbrella, are more socially conscious and environmentally aware than their predecessors. They are progressive and open-minded and S3 will champion their frame of mind.

For more information and publicity images please contact S3 Publicity

Don’t miss Innocence weekdays at 16:30, starting 1 April 2024, only on S3.

For media enquiries

Caroline Phalakatshela

Publicity Specialist – Video Entertainment 072 382 2032/ phalakatshelamc@sabc.co.za

S3 – CHANNEL A BETTER YOU

With S3, audiences get to Open Up and channel the best versions of themselves as the channel turns up the heat with Ready Steady Cook, presented by Moshe Ndiki on weekdays at 19:00, as South Africans get to channel their better selves with the help of esteemed Celebrity Chefs adding some spice to their lives. 

Indian Cinema taps into different cultures and lifestyles every Sunday at 14:00. 

Top Travel opens up the world of travel by welcoming two new hosts, Model and TV personality Dr Fezile Mkhize and Dr Anesu Mbizvo, who will take viewers on an exhilarating journey across Africa, redefining travel at its finest on our very own home turf! From the rolling green hills of the Eastern Cape to the breathtaking sapphire waters of the Kenya coastline, the duo explores the diverse landscapes and cultures of the continent we call home. 

On the 6th of April 2024 S3 introduces two shows: Lorna Maseko returns to S3 with the new season of her show Homegrown Chef SA, travelling around the world exploring the culinary wonders of South Africa, broadcast every Saturday at 19:30. The most loved music Game Show, The Masked Singer South Africa, returns at 18:30, with Mpho Popps as the host as South Africans channel their inner superstar.

First on S3 is Master Chef South Africa, bringing the Creme de la Crème of everything culinary from the dishes to the Judges and turning amateur chefs into master’s from the 22nd of June 2024, and Wife Swap South Africa with families swapping for a week, and learning about different South African households from the 1st of July, at 18:00.

Crown Chasers returns for the second on the 22nd of June at 20:30, and over seven weeks, various contestants will undergo challenges and mentorship as they get shortlisted for the big Miss SA Contest.

S3 opens up a world of adventure with the 11th season of Tropika Island of Treasure, presented by TV and Radio personality Zanele Potelwa, starting in September as contestants embark on a thrilling quest for treasure, broadcasting 21 September 2024. 

#SABCVEContentFest

For media enquiries contact:

Caroline Phalakatshela

Publicity Specialist – Video Entertainment

072 382 2032/ phalakatshelamc@sabc.co.za

BBC Primetime will reach 13 million homes in South Africa, marking BBC Studios’ widest reaching branded service in EMEA

• BBC Studios’ first hand-crafted content block in Africa will be available on S3 weeknights between 21:00-23:00.
• BBC Primetime will give S3 audiences access to a hand-picked selection of BBC Studios’ award-winning dramas, documentaries and factual entertainment. Shows include Luther, Critical, Cheaters, Top Gear, Louis Theroux: Forbidden America and more.
• BBC Primetime launches in May 2024

BBC Studios and South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) announce BBC Primetime, a brand-new content block for S3, featuring a hand-picked selection of award-winning dramas, factual entertainment and documentaries from BBC Studios’ award-winning catalogue. BBC Primetime will be available to watch weeknights between 21:00 and 23:00 on S3 and on SABC+ from May 2024 and is BBC Studios’ widest reaching branded service in EMEA.

BBC Primetime has been hand-crafted by BBC Studios, offering S3 viewers access to globally recognized content Monday-Friday. The content block will include a range of shows including psychological crime thriller starring Idris Elba, Luther, intense medical drama, Critical, gripping factual motoring show, Top Gear (season 14-17), and romantic comedy, Cheaters. Documentary series, Louis Theroux: Forbidden America, exploring three controversial corners of American entertainment and culture, will also be available to watch from launch.

Pierre Cloete, the Commercial Director at BBC Studios in Africa says “I am so excited to launch our first BBC branded block in Africa with SABC. BBC Primetime will be hand-picked for S3 audiences, packed with a selection of incredible programming from our award-winning catalogue. From intense thrillers, crime dramas and inspiring documentaries, this marks our first block for free to air audiences in South Africa, giving 13 million homes access to BBC Studios’ shows. I can’t wait for the 2024 launch.”

Sane Zondi, Programming Manager at SABC says “This partnership with BBC Studios is born out of the need for us to fulfil our commitment in delivering high quality international content to our viewers. We are excited to have access to a vast catalogue from the BBC, and the unlimited world-class entertainment our viewers will be able to enjoy through BBC Primetime on S3.  The deal allows us to bring back some of the iconic BBC titles to our viewers which formed weekly habitual viewing, with Top Gear being the most notable one. I know our viewers will be delighted for the return to their screens and I know it will form their weekly engagements with us. There is a range of new content which we are keen for our audiences watch. We look forward to seeing some of the sentiments and reactions across our social media platforms on this great new era on our channel.”

BBC Primetime will be available to watch on S3 and SABC+ from May 2024

-Ends-

Logos and promo: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/tapdqsvnnz4evla6gd847/h?rlkey=hwkuaesdhqiade3redm3ekq7e&dl=0

For more information, please contact:

BBC Studios Publicist

Elisa Peacham

elisa.peacham@bbc.com

SABC Publicity Specialist 

Caroline Phalakatshela

phalakatshelamc@sabc.co.za

NOTES TO EDITORS

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with sales of £2.1 billion (2021/22: £1,630 million). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the global Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally and Channels & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. Around 2,500 hours of award-winning British programmes are made by the business every year, with over 80% of total BBC Studios revenues coming from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix.  Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com is BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, offering up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features.

BBC Studios | Website | Press Office | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram |

About S3

S3 is a revamped channel servicing the independent thinker and the progressive South African millennial. We want our viewers to open up to new lands, new content, new ideas and new ways of being. Through this new positioning, S3 invites viewers to take in all the new programming on offer to open up to a dialogue with your public broadcasting channel. Ultimately, our vision is to foster the spirit of curiosity and spearhead a generation of free thinkers. S3 is opening itself up to new viewers. These viewers, who fall under the millennial umbrella, are more socially conscious and environmentally aware than their predecessors. They are progressive and open-minded, and S3 will champion their frame of mind.

The local version of the world’s biggest, craziest, and most fun-filled star-powered singing contest and guessing game is back on our screens in April. The second season of The Masked Singer South Africa kicks off on S3 (formerly known as SABC 3) on Saturday, 6 April, at 18:30.

Following Holly Rey and her Lollipop’s sweet Season 1 victory, 16 Mzansi megastars will again set the stage alight disguised in the most exquisite, bejewelled costumes.

Although the identity of these celebrities will, of course, remain top secret until the show’s detectives and studio audience decide it’s time for them to show their familiar faces, Primedia Studios and production company Rose and Oaks Media have lifted the lid on some of the key role players lined-up for the must-see The Masked Singer South Africa Season 2.  

The always-suave and always-quirky Mpho Pops reprises his role as The Masked Singer South Africa’s charming host, and on detective duty, you’ll find four distinguished super-sleuths.

One of these celebrity detectives tasked to decipher obscure clues in figuring out who is behind the masks is a multiple award-winning muso and chef extraordinaire. At his side is a flamboyant veteran media personality, actor and choreographer known for his attention-grabbing outfits. Then there is also a beloved teddy-bear-like radio personality and DJ, while the show’s Lady Detective happens to be a gorgeous social butterfly, influencer, and fashionista.

Your guess was spot on! J’Something from Micasa, Somizi Mhlongo, Skhumba Hlophe and Sithelo Shozi return to rack their brains to solve the show’s mysterious masked cases.

However, despite coming into the show with a wealth of experience, these four detectives will have to step up their game.

“The clues are going to be much harder,” reveals Anele Mdoda, Rose and Oaks Media co-owner. “In fact, everything is bigger, better, and more spectacular this season. South Africa is going to be blown away by the dazzling costumes, themed episodes, energetic performances of popular songs, and calibre of personalities bringing their A-game to win the coveted Golden Mask trophy. We’re talking megastars – from world-famous sports figures – maybe even a World Cup winner – to globally recognizable faces.”

In the lead-up to The Masked Singer South Africa Season 2’s first episode, some Masks are already popping up in public spaces. For now, keep an eye out for the snazzy Giraffe sporting some bling, a treacherous Tortoise and a glittering figure resembling a Gold nugget.

The question remains: Who is behind the mask?

“The beauty of The Masked Singer Singer South Africa is that the entire country can play along in guessing the true identity of these fantastic, costumed characters,” says Jan du Plessis, President of Primedia Studios. “It’s a wonderful family show and great fun to see a different side of Mzansi’s biggest household names.”

During the show, millions of The Masked Singer South Africa fans nationwide will be entertained by the supercool “Men in Black”, who assist the Masks in acting out mysterious snippets of their celebrity lives. And, in line with the magnitude of such a singing contest, the show will again be brought to homes across Mzansi in association with Andolex®, South Africa’s No. 1 brand for sore mouths and throats.

“We are incredibly excited and proud to be the associate sponsor of The Mask Singer South Africa Season 2,” says Kym Hampton, Managing Director of iNova Pharmaceuticals, South Africa. “This hugely popular family-oriented show is the perfect match for the Andolex® brand, and the sponsorship allows us to highlight the importance of oral health and how to treat a painful sore throat when you need to perform at your best.  Andolex® looks forward to engaging with our loyal supporters and The Masked Singer South Africa viewers again.”

According to Lala Tuku, Acting Group Executive of Video Entertainment at SABC, The Masked Singer South Africa Season 1 proved to be a massive audience favourite: “In its premiere timeslot on S3 viewership surged by an impressive 109% whilst the repeat episodes also drew substantial audiences. For example, the third episode’s repeat on SABC 1 attracted more than 1,8 million viewers.”

The premiere episode of The Masked Singer South Africa will be screened on Saturdays at 18:30. There will also be a rebroadcast on SABC 1 on Thursdays at 21:00, as well as on S3 on Fridays at 22:00.

S3 spices up its Monday to Friday menu

with Ready Steady Cook South Africa, hosted by Moshe Ndiki

How do you put together a fun-filled, fast-paced cooking game show that is bound to become a daily local television staple? It’s easy. You take a “Red Tomato” and a “Green Pepper”, split them into a “Red Kitchen” and a “Green Kitchen”, add a top Mzansi chef on each side, and pair them with an enthusiastic home cook who is ready to challenge the food maestro’s creativity with a mystery bag of everyday ingredients delivered by Mr D. Then, you turn on the heat by setting the clock for a boiling hot 20-minute cook-off.

At the same time, you mix in the humour, flair and fabulosity of one of South Africa’s favourite personalities – foodie, comedian, presenter, actor and YouTube star Moshe Ndiki.

That’s the simple yet irresistible recipe followed by Ready Steady Cook South Africa, the thrill-a-minute daily treat with which S3 will spice up its Monday to Friday menu from Monday, 18 March, at 19:00. 

You can also catch reruns of the show, Mondays to Fridays, on SABC 1 at 15:30 and SABC 2 at 17:30 or tune in for the week’s Ready Steady Cook South Africa omnibus on S3 on Saturdays between 08:00 and 10:30.

Based on the long-running BBC show represented worldwide by the media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay, Ready Steady Cook South Africa is a collaboration between Primedia Studios and the production company Rose and Oaks Media – the combo which was also responsible for the massive S3 hit The Masked Singer South Africa.

“Our new local version of Ready Steady Cook is like a paella or a “potjie” of everything that makes for good television,” says Anele Mdoda, co-owner of Rose and Oaks Media. “While the dramatic battle between Team Red Tomato and Team Green Pepper is packed with suspense, it’s also sprinkled with star power and non-stop fun. Simultaneously, the show addresses a nagging question many viewers grapple with every day: ‘What’s for dinner tonight?”

The star power, of course, belongs to show host Moshe Ndiki and the celebrity chefs lined up to show viewers how to create mouthwatering dishes from the five randomly selected food items.

“We’re thrilled to have Moshe as the on-screen coordinator of all the magic and madness cooked up by the two competing teams on Ready Steady Cook South Africa,” Anele raves. “From his call centre days creating content that made the entire country laugh from their bellies to his food trucks that spoke directly to our bellies, Moshe is the perfect balance of sugar, salt, flavour and heat… funny enough, everything you need to make a stellar dish.”

The well-known chefs who will show off their incredible food-making skills are Wandile Mabaso, Neo Nontso, Fehmida Osman-Latib, Kamini Pather, Kelly Njokweni, Liziwe Matloha, Lorna Maseko, Lufuno Sinthumule, Mmule Setati and Nthi Ramaboa.

In each of the 260 Ready Steady Cook South Africa episodes, you will find one of these famous culinary stars in the red kitchen and another one in the green kitchen, where they are tasked to create three mouthwatering dishes with the food items brought along by their Team Red Tomato or Team Green Pepper partner within 20 minutes. Once the time has run out, the studio audience then votes to determine the episode’s winning team.

What makes the show even more entertaining is that the two home cooks are related somehow. They’re either family members, friends, or business partners from the same profession or even sharing a hobby. During the cook-off, the audience learns more about their lives through their interaction with Moshe and the chefs.

If you and someone you know think you’re ready and steady to cook alongside the esteemed chefs on this juicy television show, you can WhatsApp the producers on 068 675 2542.

Ready Steady Cook South Africa is proudly sponsored by Mr D.

About S3

S3 is a revamped channel servicing the independent thinker and the progressive South African millennial. We want our viewers to open up to new lands, new content, new ideas and new ways of being. Through this new positioning, S3 invites viewers to take in all the new programming on offer to open up to a dialogue with your public broadcasting channel. Ultimately, our vision is to foster the spirit of curiosity and spearhead a generation of free thinkers. S3 is opening itself up to new viewers. These viewers, who fall under the millennial umbrella, are more socially conscious and environmentally aware than their predecessors. They are progressive and open-minded, and S3 will champion their frame of mind.

S3 celebrates 30 years of democracy with the launch of the documentary series Truth Be Told on Mondays at 9 pm from the 4th of March 2024, showcasing four heartfelt stories of individuals who lost loved ones as a result of the atrocities of apartheid.

It has been over 20 years since the TRC issued its final report recommending over 300 cases to be investigated or prosecuted.

Truth Be Told is inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), formed in 1995 to help deal with the atrocities of the apartheid era and bring about reconciliation through telling the truth about the past. The perpetrators, invited to come forward and tell the truth about what they had done and by this act they would receive amnesty, and those who did not come forward could be prosecuted for human rights violations committed in the past.

Truth Be Told tells the story of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by looking at the poignant cases of The Phila Portia Ndwandwe story, The Bheki Mlangeni story, The Ntombi Kubheka story and The Topsy Madaka story in which the truth has not been told and no–one has been held accountable for their gruesome killings during apartheid. 

The uniqueness of the series is that a child (now an adult) of the mentioned victims will be the main character in each episode and give a searing account of trans-generational trauma and how it has affected their lives.   

 For more information, interview opportunities and publicity images, contact the S3 Publicity office.

Catch Truth Be Told on Mondays at 21:00, starting on the 4th of March 2022, only on S3.

For media enquiries:

Caroline Phalakatshela

Publicity Specialist – Video Entertainment

072 382 2032/ phalakatshelamc@sabc.co.za

High-flying culinary nomad Katlego Mlambo

In the upcoming new season of MasterChef South Africa, the home cooks set to embark on a life-changing culinary journey will have to impress a food maestro who has cooked for high-profile dinner guests like Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Black Coffee, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z. 

One of the coolest chefs in the country, Katlego Mlambo, will make his bow as MasterChef judge in the fifth local season of the sizzling cooking show to be screened on SABC 3. The other two members of the esteemed trio confirmed to guide and grill the contestants are seasoned MasterChef South Africa judges Zola Nene and Justine Drake.

Katlego’s own impressive food journey started when he witnessed an incredible love of food during his childhood. “My first four culinary mentors were the home cooks who raised me – my granny, mother and two aunts. My grandmother would whip up amazing dishes on Sundays, and I was absolutely enthralled by how basic ingredients could turn into the tastiest banana bread and scones,” Katlego explains. “So, I became this little sous chef in our home kitchen.”

Thereafter, the travel bug bit the Eldorado Park-born food fanatic, creating opportunities to master his craft at top restaurants across the world. With stints in international restaurants in Great Britain and the United States, Katlego soaked up the distinct food flavours from these regions.

Back home, he studied at the highly regarded Silwood School of Cookery and later raked in several prestigious accolades, including the 2019 Eat Out Nederburg Rising Star Award. That was also the year he jetted to Washington as appointed head chef for the Nelson Mandela Centenary Celebrations, hosted at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington. The event was attended by 500 of the most prominent leaders and celebrities in the world.

Katlego’s exceptional flair behind the pots and pans and unique food fusion also earned the jazz eatery Marabi Club the African Restaurant of The Year gong at the Luxe Awards. Furthermore, Katlego presented two television shows on the Food Network – Inside Job and Everyday Wow.

Still, this humble food guru, who briefly appeared as a guest judge in the previous season of MasterChef South Africa, says he had to pinch himself when hearing that he would be one of  Season 5’s  main judges: “It’s amazing to know that I will be part of a show that’s a global phenomenon. It’s proof that if you believe in something, see it and taste it, it can become a reality. Being a MasterChef judge was on my bucket list.”

Katlego confesses that he looks forward to being the one waiting to be served and not the other way around. “But even though I will be on the receiving end, tasting and judging the food whilst mentoring the contestants, I know I will also be inspired by their creations from ingredients in the Pick and Pay pantry. One can never stop learning, and I can’t wait to experience the variety of cuisine created by contestants from different South African backgrounds”.

If you’re as passionate about cooking as inspirational guru Katlego Mlambo, you’ll find the MasterChef South Africa Season 5entry form at masterchefsa.tv. The closing date for entries is 15 March 2024 at 23:59.

The winner of MasterChef South Africa Season 5 will walk off with R1 million cash in prize money.

The show is produced by the multiple award-winning production company Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios, with Pick n Pay as the headline sponsor. It will be broadcast on SABC 3 from mid-June.

Esteemed all-rounder foodie Justine Drake joins Zola Nene as a judge

on MasterChef South Africa Season 5

Two of the judges who grilled and guided the passionate home cooks in the previous season of MasterChef South Africa will return for the fresh fifth local rendition of the world’s most successful television culinary competition. However, this time, they will bring their expertise to a much larger audience, as MasterChef South Africa Season 5 will be served up on free-to-air television in its new home on SABC 3.

After lifting the lid on culinary queen Zola Nene reprising her MasterChef judging role, the SABC 3 and the show producers have confirmed now that foodie dynamo Justine Drake will also be on judges’ duty.

Justine’s resumé reads like a winning recipe packed with various top-grade ingredients.

With more than 30 years of experience in the food and media industry, she has been the food editor or columnist of a buffet of print and online publications – from Fair Lady to Men’s Health. At the same time, Justine penned down several cookbooks, starting with The Busy Cook’s Cookbook at the age of 23.

This busy cook has also whipped up a popular YouTube channel, often talks about cuisine trends on the radio airwaves, and has hosted numerous television shows – amongst others, the BBC series Just in Africa, which showcased Mzansi’s rich culinary heritage, and her own creation, Just Cooking, in which she inspired audiences to jazz up everyday go-to meals.

“The role of MasterChef judge fits Justine, an esteemed foodie, like a stylish kitchen glove,” says Andrew Mills, Chief Marketing Officer at Pick n Pay, who is sponsoring MasterChef South Africa again this year. “For many years, she has helped our customers serve up delicious dishes through the Fresh Living publication and, as a judge last year, demonstrated an authentic connection with people from diverse backgrounds and different food cultures. She is also a hard taskmaster who always strives for excellence.”

Justine, for whom “mediocrity” is indeed a gastronomical sin, can’t wait to meet the new crop of passionate and dynamic MasterChef South Africa contestants, who will showcase their originality and flair with different food flavours by using items from the Pick n Pay pantry.

“The aim of the show is to allow home cooks to achieve their MasterChef status. However, it doesn’t arrive on a silver platter. The participants are put to the test in gruelling challenges, and to reach the top of the culinary ladder, they have to be disciplined and willing to learn,” Justine says.

That’s why she encourages all home cooks who don’t just love cooking but who can’t imagine a life without cooking to enter this upcoming season of MasterChef South Africa. “If you have a culinary vision and are ready to work hard to achieve your culinary dream,the world is your oyster with this show.”

Entries are now open and The MasterChef South Africa Season 5 winner will be able to boost their foodie future with a cash prize of R 1 million.

If you want to enter MasterChef South Africa, you’ll find the application form at masterchefsa.tv. The closing date for entries is 15 March 2024 at 23:59.

MasterChef South Africa will be broadcast on SABC 3 from mid-June. The show is produced by the multiple award-winning production company Homebrew Films in collaboration with Primedia Studios, with Pick n Pay as the headline sponsor.

The third MasterChef South Africa judge will be announced in due course. 

GRAND PRIZE WINNER REVEALED

Johannesburg, 20 February 2024-  On Spring Day, 1 September 2023 SABC TV Licences launched the Win A Holiday Experience competition campaign in an effort to encourage South African customers to pay (or, renew) their TV Licences.

For their efforts, customers would be rewarded with weekly prizes such as Hisense Smart TVs, JBL Bluetooth Speakers, Sony Wireless Headphones and Lenovo laptops. This would be done through a random selection automated by a dedicated microsite that was setup to monitor the competition entries.

In order to qualify for the prizes, the customer needed to pay their TV Licence between 1 September 2023 and 15 December 2023; then go to www.winaholidayexperiencewithsabctvlicences.co.za; register for the competition; receive a confirmation message stating that their entry is valid; then, a random winner would be selected each week from the valid entries.

To sweeten the deal, the overall winner for the competition would get to choose an international experience between the Coachella music festival in California, United States of America. Or, a Bundesliga match in Germany.

Thabo Batshe, a 26-year-old hailing from Kimberley, in the Northern Cape entered the Win A Holiday Experience with SABC TV Licences competition hoping he would get one of the weekly prizes.

“I was on Twitter, and I saw [the competition],” Batshe explained.

“After entering the competition because I had paid my TV Licence about a month ago, I saw a couple of winners on Twitter and Instagram, and I was really rooting for a Play Station because I saw that someone had won a Play Station” he continued.

Like many hopefuls, Thabo Batshe was redirected to the Win A Holiday Experience with SABC TV Licences microsite from social media – where he clicked on one of the links shared from the SABC Corporate pages. After filling out his TV Licence and personal contact details he received a confirmation message on his email account that informed him that his entry was valid and that he had been placed in the pool where a lucky winner would be randomly selected for either a weekly prize or the grand holiday experience.

Clement Maosa from SABC 1’s Skeem Saam broke the news to Thabo Batshe when they secretly met up at the Randburg Sports Complex earlier in the year. “Today is a big day because we are going to meet the winner of the SABC TV Licences’ Win A Holiday Experience competition,” Maosa explained.

“What Thabo does not know is that he is the overall winner of the competition. He thinks he is coming here to pick one of the weekly packages only to realize that he is the grand winner.”

Thabo Batshe, who had entered the competition when he was still at his grandmother’s place in Kimberley, had since moved to Johannesburg for work and is now living in the Randburg area. He was with his girlfriend when Clement Maosa revealed the surprise to him.

“I have been telling him that I actually want to go to Coachella,” the girlfriend explained.

“One thing that I am really looking forward to is experiencing a festival of this nature,” Batshe said in excitement. “And also going overseas and getting to travel.”

Thabo Batshe works in Marketing as a Communication Assistant and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences at the University of the Free State. This was followed by a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Strategic Communication at the University of Johannesburg. It will be his first time traveling outside of South Africa and he is currently applying for his passport which he will need to get a VISA in order to travel to California, in America.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will be taking place between the 19th and 21st of April 2024.