Talk SA Gets a Feminine Twist

TALK SA GETS A FEMININE TWIST TIMES TWO!

South Africa’s nation building date on Tuesday mornings with “Talk SA” on SABC 2 is getting a fresh burst of energy, a new perspective and more points of view with the arrival of Ayanda Mpama and Azaria Molobela as our two new co-presenters alongside regular anchor Kamza Mbatha.
Aya, as she is known, is a singer, songwriter, actress and television presenter best known as one of the Top 6 finalists on M-Net's reality competition Idols III, in 2005. Born in Swaziland and raised in Zambia and Durban, Mpama obtained a degree in music and drama from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. In 2005 she took part in Idols II, managing sixth place before being eliminated. According to Mpama the experience was worth it as she was signed for a record deal by Dave Thompson of Sony BMG. She released her debut album, A State of Aya, in 2007.Her recording career also led to a new role in television. Producers from Black Rage Productions spotted Mpama's presenting potential when the singer was interviewed on one of their shows, SABC3’s entertainment magazine show Noted.She passed a screen test and was asked to present the SABC1 music chat show Soul Sundays, which premiered on the channel in March, 2008. Devoted to her music which she regards as a representation of her identity, Ayanda will bring a unique, authentic and vibrantly inquisitive angle to “Talk SA”, as she herself says, “I’m a diverse woman - I think in both Zulu and English, I was born in Swaziland, lived in Zambia and spent much of my childhood in Durban. I am as much an urban girl as a rural one...” After a brief break from television she’s raring to go and excited at diving into the mass of topics, issues, conversations, and stories we deal with throughout the year.

Azaria was born in Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga and started acting and dancing on a professional level in 2005 when she performed at the Witbank Civic Theatre in “Create the Creators” alongside Siphiwe Nkosi. The following year she began a continuing creative relationship with acclaimed playwright Mpumelelo Paul Grootboom on the play, "Cards" in which she helped create the role of Mimi, a pregnant prostitute. She carried on in the play changing roles when it performed at the State Theatre in Pretoria, she continued working with Grootboom, dubbed the ‘Township’s Tarantino’, in his play “Telling Stories” and “Township Stories”, a collaboration between Grootboom and ‘Tsotsi’ star Presley Chweneyagae, in productions staged in South Africa, Europe and Australia.
With her natural fearlessness Azaria makes a perfect match with the aims and ideals of “Talk SA”, especially as she speaks Zulu, Tswana, Sepedi, isiSwati,Tsonga and English. “It’s a fascinating show to come on board,” she says, “Every week we look at a different issue or story, and it’s not just people on a couch, Talk SA actually gets the whole nation talking.”
Tune in from July 5th to witness Ayanda and Azaria as they help us look at our nation and wield their feminine wiles on TALK SA, the nation’s favourite Tuesday morning date at 11.20am on SABC2

Photos and further information:
Lesley Fahey
SABC Education Marketing - Publicity Manager
Email: faheylk@sabc.co.za - Tel: +27 (0) 11 714 6085