Durban- Wednesday, 01 September 2021-Ukhozi FM is pleased to announce that Bingelela Mpanza was announced as the recipient of the highly contested Winnie Mahlangu Female Presenter Search for 2021 on Tuesday, 31 August 2021.
The campaign launched in 2020 as part of Women’s Month commemoration in honour of the retired Ukhozi FM’s first woman broadcaster, Ms. Winnie Mahlangu.  In its’ second edition, the campaign received close to 1800 demos from women interested in being selected for a 12-month mentorship contract with the station.  Ms. Mpanza was announced as the overall recipient, after a four-week run that involved voting by listeners, on-air engagements, and a virtual interview with station management.  The listeners voted at weekly intervals for their favorite demo and the four demos that were most voted for made it to the finals, bringing the total number of votes in the 4 week voting phase to 175 292.
An elate and emotional Bingelela was called live on air with the great news on the station’s afternoon drive show, where Programmes Manager, Zandile Tembe delivered the good news.  Her radio experience is a 5-month trial that she did in 2015 at Nongoma FM and due to financial challenges at home, was compelled to find employment in the coal mines. However, the radio bug never left her and this opportunity arose, she heeded the call to submit her demo.
Bingelela was not the only winner, but Nombuso Tembe from Mtuba’s Rise FM was awarded a R5000 prize as the runner-up. Bingelela will be trained, mentored, and coached by the station and will be heard on-air in due course.
Over and above this female presenter search, the station honored the first woman Station Manager of Ukhozi FM throughout the month of August, Ms. Zamabo Mkize, who also started out as an on-air personality.
Ukhozi FM Business Manager, Ms. Sbongi Ngcobo stated that “As Ukhozi FM we are very proud of this campaign which seeks to improve the female voice in terms of presence in the radio industry. Bingelela is a deserving winner who we are excited to welcome to the Ukhozi FM family”.
 
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Issued By:                           Group Communications
Media Enquiries:                 Ms. Gugu Ntuli (Group Executive: Corporate Affairs and Marketing)
NtuliGM@sabc.co.za|T. 011 714 3311|C. 071 877 0513