Winnie Madikizela is taking part in the second season of MTV’s hit show, MTV Base Meets…With MTN. The struggle icon, politician, former leader of the ANC Women’s League and of course, former wife of Nelson Mandela, recorded the episode at her home in Soweto where she met MTV Base VJ Sizwe Dhlomo and a panel of youth leaders.
The show will no doubt be controversial, as tabloid Sunday World reported earlier. Madikizela Mandela apparently takes issue with President Jacob Zuma’s polygamy [“How do you go out there to the youth to preach the idea of one partner when our president’s culture is that he can spring up another fiancée tomorrow?”], and with South Africa’s problem with ‘tenderpreneurs’. “It was very easy to want to bring down apartheid and we did. Freedom now is translated into materialism … government has become a tenders government,” she tells the youth.
First initiated in 2011, MTV Base Meets…with MTN connects African youth with the thought leaders, opinion formers, decision makers and role models who shape their world. The motivational youth empowerment initiative and multimedia campaign aims to stimulate dialogue between ‘thought leaders’ and young African entrepreneurs.
Ms Madikizela-Mandela joins previously features ‘influencers’ such as Nobel Prize laureate and President of Liberia, Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame; Grammy-winning R&B artist Alicia Keys; Julius Malema and legendary musician and activist HughMasekela.
“MTN got involved with this initiative last year at a time when there was a real need to bring youth and leaders together in open dialogue and debate. We still believe in the transformative power of giving young people on the continent this kind of forum,” says Commented Jennifer Roberti, executive for group marketingat MTN. “As the leaders of tomorrow, it’s not always about finding agreement. Sometimes questioning and challenging can be just as educational and inspiring. As MTN, we believe that when we connect people and ideas, we are creating platforms for better understanding and a common ground.”
In each episode of MTV Base Meets…with MTN, ambitious young Africans from all walks of life pose hard questions to high-profile thought leaders about issues close to their hearts – in an intimate and informal environment, with no questions off-limits. Topics include entrepreneurship, education, youth culture, politics, sport, racism, gender issues and the African Renaissance. To date, youth panellists asking the questions have included students, journalists, bloggers, models, comedians, actors, musicians, humanitarian campaigners and poets.
“In today’s competitive business and economic environment, it is vitally important to provide strong role models, heroes and mentors to help young people achieve their goals. MTV Base Meets…with MTN aims to inspire and motivate young Africans to understand that they are key drivers in ensuring a brighter future for our continent,” says Alex Okosi, senior vice president and managing director of Viacom International Media Networks Africa.
Season 2 of MTV Base Meets…with MTN will air across Africa on MTV Base (DSTV Channel 322) and on terrestrial stations across the continent, including STV and NTA (Nigeria), Spectrum TV (Cameroon), Viasat (Ghana), Rwanda TV (Rwanda), Swazi TV (Swaziland), Muvi TV (Zambia) and NTV and WBS (Uganda).
The episode featuring Madikizela-Mandela will premiere to 50 countries across Africa on 5 September 2012
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PHOTO: VJ Sizwe Dhlomo leads the interview with Madikizela Mandela.
