Bonang Matheba

Bonang Dorothy Matheba (born 25 June 1987), is a South African award-winning television presenter, radio personality, actress and social media personality.

She is known for her flamboyant presenting skills and her signature voice.

She presented the SABC 1 music show LIVE (now Live Amp) which built her spotlight in the industry.

She is also known for being the first Black South African to be featured on numerous magazines.

Bonang was born on 25 June 1987 in Mahikeng borough of North West, to Charlotte Mokoena, the Executive Vice-president for Human Resource and Corporate Affairs of Sasol, and Gampi Matheba, a senior lecturer at North-West University.

She is of the Bantu-speaking ethnic group Tswana.

The family relocated to Leondale, in the East of Johannesburg, while Bonang attended Fourways High School, a government co-ed school in Fourways, Johannesburg.

In 2002, Matheba made her television debut on the SABC 2 kids show, Manhattan Fantasy Challenge while she was 15.

She also appeared in several other SABC 2 kids shows.

In 2007, Matheba auditioned for the inaugural season of the SABC 1 music show LIVE (now Live Amp) after leaving varsity.

She was later crowned the winner of the show to co-host alongside Tbo Touch.

Her presenting duties were a huge success and that's where her sobriquet "Queen B." was created.

In 2008, Matheba made her debut drama role on the SABC 1 show, InterSEXions where she played Nurse Seipati.

In 2008, Matheba made a collaboration with retailer Legit in launching her first clothing line, "Just B".

She then partnered with a London-based designer to create a handbag collection called "Baby Star".

In 2009, Matheba received a call from radio station YFM in which she was told that she'll be added to the new line-up of presenters.

She received her own weekend afternoon show called, "The B* Hive", which was an instant success mainly focusing on young listeners.

In 2011, she became the first South African celebrity to launch an online reality show called B*Dazzled.

Her final episode was aired on 31 August 2012 as she announced she was leaving the show.

After her departure from LIVE, she hosted several other shows including Clash of the Choirs SA, Afternoon Express, Top Billing and KFC Taste Kitchen.

In 2013, she was the first international ambassador for the cosmetic brand Revlon, outside the US.

In 2014, she hosted the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards pre-show, which made her become the first South African to host the pre-ceremony.

She then left the radio show in 2014.

In 2014, high-end South African retail brand Woolworths, revealed a collaboration with Bonang.

They dropped a lingerie line "Distraction By Bonang", which is still ongoing as new collections were introduced.

In 2015, she became the first African to be given an E! News Special Africa on E!.

Matheba has over 5 million followers on Instagram and Twitter.

Matheba was announced as a new radio DJ for radio station Metro FM in 2015.

She replaced Siphokazi January who became the new Metro FM veteran.

Matheba's slot show The Front Row, had a great and joyful listenership until a dispute with the radio station's manager, after an on-air reshuffle that saw Bonang hosting the show alongside her rumored longtime industry rival Lerato Kganyago without her notification arose.

Outraged by their lack of communication, Bonang resigned from the radio station the next day.

In 2016, she graced the cover of Forbes Woman Africa, alongside three other women who were all given a headline for being the Faces of Entrepreneurship.

Matheba has hosted numerous award shows and prominent events the most notable being MTV Africa Music Awards 2016, Miss South Africa 2018, and the pre-shows for the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards and BET Awards 2016.

She released her book From A to B and premiered her own reality show Being Bonang, both in 2017.

Matheba founded her production house called Bonang Matheba Entertainment in 2017.

The production unit has one show, which is the 1Magic reality show, Being Bonang which focuses and showcases Matheba's daily life.

In May 2022, she co-hosted Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards.

In 2018, she was featured on the power issue of GQ SA, for the September edition.

On 2 December 2018, Matheba co-hosted the Global Citizen: Mandela 100 concert alongside comedian Trevor Noah, supermodel Naomi Campbell and other notable public figures.

As of 2019, Matheba starred and co-produced the documentary film Public Figure, which premiered on March, 9 at Manchester Film Festival.