Towards the end of last year SABC2 launched a roadshow at shopping centres to
search for presenters for an undisclosed show.
The search is complete, four new presenters have been cast and filming has begun for the channel's newly announced late-afternoon tween/teen slot called q-base28.
As from Monday (25 May) the long-running kids segment Tube will deflate and disappear and q-base takes over as a more grown-up umbrella format for the line-up of shows that run from 16h00 to 17h30.
The four presenters will introduce the shows, host inserts and perform in between.
A signature song has been written for them, they recorded and filmed it yesterday (Thursday) and went on to make their TV debut on the show Hectic-9 at 16h00. Hectic covered the process they went through of being selected - in a reality TV type setup.
While they were in the action we caught up with them at Longkloof Studios to scrutinise, poke and prod them; and got their take on Mzansi's who's who.
The 4sum ...
Raphael "Vuitton"* Myende
*Raphael's a Louis Vuitton junkie, who doesn't own any of his clothes - yetAge: 19
Currently up to? In matric.
From: Johannesburg South
Fave Mzansi actor/presenter: "Sizwe Dhlomo and Siyabonga Ngwekazi. Siyabonga - I like the way he carries himself, his style and the fact that he’s young and achieved a lot of things. I admire that he’s presented on a whole lot of shows and that he’s now on radio.
"And Sizwe, he’s a very, very good presenter - also he’s not just a presenter, he’s actually very, very intelligent because he studied IT. He really shows that despite being a presenter he’s well educated - that you can be both of those things.
"And did I hear Raphael Griffiths?? He’s going to be so big! Next year I’m going to study political science and philosophy - who knows I might be the next president - the sky’s the limit."
Fave Mzansi sportster: "I always admire people who go from nothing to something, so Teko Modise, Orlando Pirates. Looking at his biography, he grew up in a shack and went through so much, played for small clubs until he finally came to play for the Pirates.
"It shows you that it doesn’t matter what you go through, you just don’t give up - set your goal and you’ll finally achieve it. Patience is a virtue - I never believed that, but now I do."
Fave muso: "I listen to everything from jazz to hip hop - I’m a music freak but I’ll have to give it to Kwela Tebza for the fact that they don’t sing, they don’t rap, they don’t make a beat, they just play their flutes.
"They’ve played them from a young age - who would have thought that playing a flute could get you somewhere in life? I’d never have thought so - and they’re so stylish."
Tshegofatso "Vortex"* Malepe
*Tshego reads the dictionary for fun, spotted the word and decided to keep it
Age: 19
Currently up to? Studying a BA in brand management.
From: Vereeniging.
Fave Mzansi actor/presenter: "Cecilia from YO.TV - I admire the way she handles the camera. At one stage she fell on live TV and she was able to get back up and laugh it off. I wish that everyone could be like that - you don’t have to act or whatever, just her realness is good entertainment for me. I look up to her and at some stage I’d like to be like her, be me, but present as well as she does."
Fave Mzansi sportsperson: "For me it’s Gugu Zulu - there’s something about fast cars, the smell of hot wheels - I love cars and I love trying new stuff so if the opportunity came up I’d love to race."
Fave muso: "Lira - I like her latest CD, since 999 she’s gone one way: up. Her music’s good quality - she brings a fresh kind of feel to South African music. She’s just won the SAMAs, she won last year -she’s doing very well and to me that’s inspirational. Her previous record label wasn’t really putting her out there but now she’s found a niche in the market, it's made her a great solo artist for me - I just enjoy her music."
Arye Kellman
Age: 20
Currently up to? Studying, 2nd year BComm: Marketing and Principles of Management
From: Gauteng
Fave Mzansi actor/presenter: Michael Mol and Colin Moss - from Colin Moss I take the whole acting thing - he just turned down Idols 5 to focus on his acting career. He’s a very cool dude, I don’t think it’s an act for TV - I think it’s how he really is.
"Then, with Michael Mol, the fact that he’s a doctor and studied. The way he’s established himself, his website and his adventurous lifestyle - he lives a full life."
Fave sportsperson: "For me it’s Oscar Pretorius and Natalie Du Toit because nothing can get those two people down, nothing can set them back. No matter what happens, whatever happens, nothing stops them and nothing will ever get in their way and that’s amazing."
Fave muso: "Jesse Clegg - for me it’s all about the lyrics and depth of the song. I think he;s about two years older than me or something crazy - he was at Wits as well - his tracks have so much meaning and he writes them all himself - even more than the music, if you can relate to a song, to do that a local level is awesome."
Tshiamo Thebe
Age: 18
Currently up to? Studying B.Comm: Accounting
From: Bloemfontein
Fave Mzansi presenter/actor: "Zizo Beda, the former Miss SA Teen. She’s a Xhosa gal and you can see she speaks it with pride. I think that’s going to take us far, when you know where you come from, when you’re set on your goals and you know where you’re going - that’s why she inspires me."
Fave sportsperson: "Also Natalie du Toit because there are so many unexpected things that happen in life and people are so afraid of change that they think once something changes in your life everything just stops but she shows everyone that you can adapt to change and make something good out of that.
"Also the lady from the Cheetah’s netball team - I forget her name know but I met her once. She’s played with them for 20 years and even though the young ones in the team seem fresh she still shows them “This is how it’s done.”
Fave Mzansi muso: "For me it would have to be Theo Kgosinkwe from Mafikizolo because when people thought of Theo they just thought 'Oh he’s part of Mafikizolo,' and now that his CD’s out he’s proved to everyone that he’s his own individual and his passion comes out.
"He shows that he’s doing it for the love of it - not just for money - I think that if everyone could do what they love then it would be a good life."
Fast f@cts
The segment was named by Capetonian Monre Coleman, who entered a competition to find a name and won an ipod. According to Monre, who wasn't on set but who we spoke to on the blower, he chose the name to reflect the music software he enjoys using at school. He's an aspiring musician who plays the violin and also a competition addict - when we called him he took about five minutes to remember which competition we were referring to because he's entered so many.
The presenter search took place in Bloem, Jozi and Durban but not in Cape Town as a result of budget constraints. According to a source the search had to choose between covering Cape Town only; or covering the three other centres because the roadshow travelled by bus and couldn't travel to all four places.
Hectic-9 is filmed at Longkloof Studio's in Cape Town and q-base28 is filmed at the SABC in Jozi.
The afternoon qbase line-up starts with Hectic-9 at 16h00, includes longtime shows Hip2B2 and Keeping It Real; and ends with Spongbob Bob, that starts at 17h00.