Hosts of MTN SAMA Awards announced

24 Apr 2012

Local personalities Pabi Moloi, Zonke, Kabelo and Sizwe will be among the hosts at the glittering awards ceremony for the 18th annual MTN South African Music Awards (SAMA). The four will be among nine celebrity hosts on the night, taking place at Sun City on Monday, 30 April 2012.

"We have decided to reach for the stars - literally and figuratively - at MTN SAMA 18," says CEO Randall Abrahams. "Whereas in the past the awards only featured one or two hosts, this year we are significantly upping the star-power quota of the hosts, presenters and performers to dazzle the audience at the Superbowl as well as the millions of viewers glued to their TV sets at home."

As the presenter of magazine show All Access, actress in programmes such as Soul City, and DJ on radio stations such as YFM and Metro FM and, more recently, 94.7 Highveld Stereo, Pabi Moloi is a style icon who has endeared herself to a multi-generational and multicultural audience.

Dhlomo is no stranger

Eastern Cape lass Zonke hails from a musical family - her father was a drummer and her late stepmother, Anneline Malebo, sang in Joy of Paradise Road fame. Kabelo Mabalane burst on to the music scene as a member of superstar kwaito trio TKZee, and has since carved out a successful solo career. Sizwe Dhlomo, YFM presenter and former co-host of SABC 1's Live, is also no stranger to the MTN SAMAs, having served as a digital presenter at the awards two years ago.

SAMA- and Kora-winning musician and businesswoman Swazi Dlamini has demonstrated her versatility in experimenting with new sounds and different languages over the years. American-born television and radio presenter Jen Su gained prominence as a financial news anchor for Sky News via its South African affiliate, Summit TV.

First winner of Idols

Heinz Winckler won the inaugural series of Idols in South Africa, and was placed fourth on World Idol in 2003. This SAMA nominee has notched up gold and platinum records, with Walt Disney using one of his songs for the movie Treasure Planet. The sublime Unathi Msengana is a multi award-winning singer, actress and radio personality who, in 2011, further endeared herself to millions of TV viewers during her first season as a judge on M-Net's Idols.

The main awards ceremony on Monday, 30 April, will be televised live on SABC 1 and will be streamed live via the website www.samusicawards.co.za, the mobisite www.mtnsamatv.mobi and the MTN SAMA Facebook page www.facebook.com/samusicawards.