The Top 12 National finalists of SABC3’s reality show The Next Brand Ambassador were revealed in last night’s episode, putting an end to speculation as to which of the regional contestants would make the cut. After weeks of battling it out in regional rounds in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town testing skill, teamwork, creativity, and marketing savvy, the finalists arrived at their glamorous new home in the Mother City. Six of the contestants hail from Johannesburg, three from Cape Town, and one each from Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth. These twelve finalists are of the country’s top young aspiring marketers, and the stage is set for three of them to work with Capitec’s marketing team and become The Next Brand Ambassador.
The finalists are Sharadel Reddy, Nkanyi ‘Slays’ Wallace, Chace Geyer, Mpho Monareng, and Keitumetse Moepang from Johannesburg. Porschia Kim Pedro, Nasiphi Fazi, and Asandiswa ‘Afiba’ Mhlauli from Cape Town, with Siyamthanda Ndamase representing Durban, Teneal Fredericks hailing from Port Elizabeth, and Zinika Gwele from East London.
In a unique twist, wildcard finalist, Cebo Mpanza from Johannesburg, was chosen by the judges after much deliberation. The decision was based on the fact that they felt that he showed more promise than some of the shortlisted regional finalists.
“Synthesizing the groundswell of nationwide entries and now the Top 12, has been one of the most intricate parts of our judging process thus far,’’ says judge and branding guru, Sylvester Chauke. “For me, there were a number of factors to consider and two major ones being, could this be our winner and do they share the values and skill we need to see in a Brand Ambassador? The Top 12 have demonstrated that they have what it takes to take on the challenges ahead and fight to win.’’
Echoing Chauke’s words, fellow judge and digital marketing leader, Odette van der Haar comments, “The Top 12 contestants have clearly demonstrated their inherent creativity, teamwork and leadership skills. Each of the contestants excelled in the challenges thus far, they out performed their fellow contestants by being consistent in the delivery of their tasks week after week. Most importantly, each of the Top 12 have a great attitude, a deep desire to succeed and passion for the business of marketing and branding.”
Social media, fashion and entertainment icon, and series judge, Nandi Madida is thrilled with the selection and is extremely positive about the road ahead. “The Top 12 are a reflection of true excellence that we have in our country amongst our youth. There’s a reason why they’ve made it to the Top 12 and that reason is to take Capitec bank to the next level. I’m proud of all the contestants who have made it this far and I wish them all the best. A huge congratulations to them all! This is it!”, says an upbeat Madida.
Head of Brand Marketing at Capitec, Sbusiso Kumalo, is equally optimistic, saying: “Using a reality show as an intensive search platform to find three people that work with our marketing teams, is an example of our ‘out of the box’ thinking. I’m impressed by the caliber of finalist that the judges have chosen and support their decision to include Cebo Mpanza as the wildcard.”
Hamilton Ngubo, SABC 3 Programming Manager, agrees, saying: “The last four episodes have displayed the exceptional quality of talent South Africa has in the creative industry. As SABC3 we are proud to have provided a platform for this talent to shine. The Next Brand Ambassador judges have worked hard to ensure that only the best of the best and most qualified rise to the top and from episode 5, we hope the viewers are ready. As for the Top 12 contestants who will be battling it out in the next weeks — the Stage is yours. Own it!”
The Next Brand Ambassador broadcasts on Thursdays at 19h30 on SABC3, and repeats on Saturday at 14h00. #BeTheBrand.
Let’s meet the Top 12 contestants:
Nkanyi Wallace – Johannesburg
She’s the Queen of Radio and all things entertainment, and nobody can get on her slays. A University of Johannesburg Postgraduate Student, Nkanyi is known to be quite an intimidator and a competition to most because of her gem of a personality. She’s a former YoTV presenter and now has her sights set on becoming The Next Brand Ambassador. Prepare to get Slayed.
Chace Geyer – Johannesburg
Creative, passionate and entrepreneurial, Chace Geyer is ready to bring his unique touch to the series. Since graduating in 2014, he’s built up an impressive portfolio, producing over 200 digital and print campaigns, including a featured spread in Vogue Brazil. Chace loves connecting with the world around him and living on the light side of life — finding the fun in everything he does.
Keitumetse Moepang – Johannesburg
The multitalented Kitty Moepang calls Brits in the North West home. As an actress she has graced our television screens on ‘Mamello’ and ‘Thuli No Thulani’. She’s also a dynamic member of the sketch comedy group, THENX, and a Strategic Brand Communications student at Vega . Her infectious and driven personality is #SolidGold.
Sharadel Reddy – Johannesburg
As a lieutenant in the South African National Defence Force, honour, integrity, discipline and fairness are the key principles which Sheradel Reddy lives by. It is this that she brings to The Next Brand Ambassador. She feels that the mentality of influencers and public figures need to change, and she believes that her destiny is to be a catalyst in the development of an ‘open door’ culture.
Mpho Monareng – Johannesburg
The media and marketing mechanic, Mpho Monareng has been rewriting agency rules since his Vega days. He’s a serial entrepreneur who believes in building meaningful businesses and achieving massive success. Mpho founded Toast Media, 2017’s Black Agency of the Year, and loves to bring fresh flavour to any project.
Cebo Mpanza – Johannesburg (Wildcard)
Cebo “UrbanZuluWarrior” Mpanza is an energetic, charismatic and evolving creative. His passion for marketing stems from his love of engaging and understanding different people. He has worked as a social media manager for a start-up digital agency, and also a photographer and videographer on the Youtube channel, “Defining”.
Siyamthanda Ndamase – Durban
Siyamthanda Ndamase is a content creator, brand impactor and a final year student in BA Communication Sciences at Unisa. She is ever-evolving, and has collaborated with some of the biggest, well-respected brands in South Africa. Her own brand is targeting the youth as she is a young voice that is authentic and relatable.
Teneal Fredericks – Port Elizabeth
Teneal Fredericks is a student the Richfield Institute of Technology in Port Elizabeth pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Public Management. A vibrant go-getter and all-in-one bombshell, Teneal is also an award-winning writer and philanthropist, and continues to overcome challenges and breaking boundaries.
Zinika Gwele – East London
Zinika Gwele is a BA student at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape. She is a low-key lifestyle aficionado and cocktail connoisseur, and a lover of food and fashion, and a colourful personality to match. Zinika may be far from the ghetto, but as a with finely tuned intuition she understands the pulse of the streets.
Nasiphi Fazi – Cape Town
A driven and ambitious graduate from the University of Cape Town, Nasiphi “Nash” Fazi is a 29-year-old marketing business owner and passionate content creator. Nash is a natural born leader who has made impressive strides in her career, having worked with some of the biggest retail brands in South Africa.
Asandiswa ‘Afiba’ Mhlauli – Cape Town
With more than 150,000 followers across his social media platforms, Asandiswa ‘Afiba’ Mhlauli continuously explores new avenues where he can express his creativity as loudly and boldly as he can. Afiba also has a passion for helping others and, together with his partner, founded BeYourDream, an organisation that helps underprivileged matriculants gain access to tertiary education.
Porschia Kim Pedro – Cape Town
Porschia Kim Pedro fell in love with marketing while studying Marketing at the University of Stellenbosch. Her love and curiosity grew as she furthered her Honours in Brand Management at Vega. While Porschia has explored account and campaign management, she craves the thrill of marketing in a corporate space, and getting the opportunity to let creativity run free.
