Based: Johannesburg.
What do you call a DJ/radio personality who gets hired purely because of her fearless wit and confidence? What do you call a DJ/radio personality who has the skills of a champion and whose name has created a brand for herself? What do you call a DJ/radio personality who steps out of her comfort zone and gets featured on prominent reality competitions on SA television shows? Anele Mdoda, that’s what you call her, one of the hottest DJ/Radio personality/presenters around right now.
As one of South Africa’s top radio presenters and A-list celebrities, she has presenter skills to scream from the rooftops about. Anele brings her unique and engaging style to the show with confidence and fearlessness as she takes on her biggest radio challenge to date.
Born in Mthatha Eastern Cape, raised in Pretoria and Pietersburg, Anele – the school girl who used to love public speaking – may just be a tad modest. Her “little brand” has been growing at a rapid pace.
While studying at the University of Pretoria, where she majored in politics and international relations, she joined TUKS FM where she met Grant Nash and the pair discovered an on-air chemistry. Mdoda was then hired by Joburg radio station 94.7 Highveld in 2007. Needing a co-host, she suggested Nash as her partner and the pair hosted a successful weekday evening show for a year before the pair was poached by national broadcaster 5FM in March 2008.
She has also taken to the small screen, firstly as one of the celebrity contestants on the fifth season of the SABC2 reality dance competition Strictly Come Dancing, from September to December, 2008. Her professional dance partner was Brandon Eilers.
Secondly as the co-host (with Rob van Vuuren) of the SABC2 reality competition SAs Got Talent, based on the British Got Talent format, which premiered in October 2009. And yes, the vibey, witty, outspoken and genuine Anele that you hear and see on radio and television is as vibey, witty, outspoken and genuine in real life. In fact, she credits “being consistent” as one of her secrets to success. “It’s about maintaining your standards and staying true to yourself. Being kind to people is part of that. It can take you far. You have to be kind to everyone; even if they can’t do anything for your career.”
One of her highlights was presenting on Top Billing covering London Fashion week and on the red carpet in Hollywood for the Twilight premiere and she is certainly proud of winning the MTN Radio Award for best Daytime show 2012.
In 2014 Anele began co-presenting the SABC 3 talk show Tongue in Cheek on SABC3. Anele currently hosts season 3 of ‘Real Talk With Anele’ broadcast live on SABC 3 from 5pm to 6pm weekdays and ‘Anele’s Breakfast Club’ Radio Show on 947 from 6am to 9am weekdays.
She’s going places literally too and is a keen traveler. Her favorite places in the world are Chicago, Berlin and Zambia but undeniably she’d most love to spend a weekend away on a farm. She adores cooking and is very happy to confirm that Beyoncé is her idol. She doesn’t believe in standing still, but rather that you constantly have to move forward, and therefore is involved at the moment in writing a book titled “The Youngsters series”. And this certainly is not the end to her brilliant career. Watch this space…….
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