Multi-award-winning media powerhouse Relebogile Mabotja has reached a new milestone in her career. She has been appointed the executive producer for the 18th edition of the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs). This marks a significant achievement for Mabotja, who has spent years working towards this opportunity.
Her company, Black Swan Media, will bring its innovative flair to the SAFTAs stage, promising an unforgettable celebration of South Africa’s film and television talent. Speaking to IOL, Mabotja reflected on her journey, which spans two decades of breaking barriers in the media industry.
“I’ve been pitching to work on the SAFTAs since 2013, and finally, 11 years later, the stars have aligned,” Mabotja revealed. “My journey in production is 20 years along, and it is true what they say that overnight success is ten years. My 10,000 hours have been well put in.”
Mabotja, who specialises in live entertainment, credits her success to the collaborative efforts of her team. “It keeps me on my creative toes. While I have the fancy title and carry a certain level of responsibility, I have behind me a village of people that bring this thing together,” she said. From the art department to lighting, choreography, and even interns, Mabotja emphasised the importance of teamwork in creating a successful production.
This appointment comes on the back of her impressive work as the executive producer for Miss South Africa 2022 and Miss South Africa 2024. Her production of the Miss South Africa 2022 live finale earned her a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) for Best Entertainment Programme.
“I feel like I’ve mastered Miss South Africa, so it’s exciting to go on and produce the SAFTAs, where I’ve won a SAFTA,” she shared. “Now I get to see what goes into making it, and there’s a lot more pressure because you’re creating an award show for the industry and your peers.”
The SAFTAs will take place over two nights, with the Craft Awards streamed live on October 25 and the main awards broadcast on Mzansi Magic and S3 on October 26.
