For more than two decades, Dr. Criselda Kananda’s voice has been a lifeline.
Through health crises, political shifts, and personal storms, her calm authority has carried South Africans through some of their most challenging moments. But at 55, the woman once known for Positive Talk insists her greatest work is still ahead.

“How do I summarise 55 years of living?” she muses, settling into conversation with the easy grace of someone who has mastered the art of connection. Born in Boksburg-Benoni, not the Eastern Cape as many assume from her Xhosa roots, Kananda’s life has been a tapestry of movement, adaptation, and reinvention.

Now, as the newly appointed Ambassador of the Tribute To Women concert and Chairperson of the Malibongwe Arts Festival Foundation, she’s ready to channel decades of experience into a mission that blends culture, empowerment, and action.

The Making of a Voice

Kananda’s path to prominence began in nursing, detoured through sales and marketing, and found its calling in the unlikeliest place, her own HIV diagnosis.

“I got tested HIV positive, and that’s where my activism was born,” she says. “It was interesting how I was able to merge my medical background with selling ideas and concepts, that’s what landed me on radio.”

Guest slots on a breakfast show turned into something bigger. Her ability to translate complex health topics into plain, human language drew the attention of producers and national broadcasters. Positive Talk was her answer to the notion that “good news doesn’t sell.”

“I wanted to be the bell of good news,” she says with a smile. “When purpose aligns with timing, the universe responds.”

The Price of Fame

After 22 years on air, Kananda experienced a jarring truth: popularity doesn’t equal prosperity.

“I looked at my bank balance and realised I was popular for the sake of being popular, with no net worth.”

Determined to change course, she shifted into corporate roles while keeping her voice alive in content creation, but this time with clear financial goals. Her journey took her to the Presidency in stakeholder relations, and now to the NUMSA Investment Company as Executive for Corporate Affairs.

Still, advocacy remains at her core. Most recently, she’s been raising awareness about diabetes, South Africa’s leading killer.

A Stage With Purpose

When approached to lead the Malibongwe Arts Festival Foundation, the offer felt like destiny.

“They told me, ‘I’ve been watching your journey and I believe women need access to your wisdom,’” Kananda recalls. “Here’s a platform that expands my voice, and lets me influence decisions that will positively impact women.”

The August 24 festival at Mark’s Park isn’t just about music and celebration, it’s about healing after a bruising period in South African politics and society.

“I beg that we forget about all the drama in South Africa and for once, just have purposeful fun,” she says.

Beyond the Spotlight

The Malibongwe Arts Festival Foundation is designed to be more than a one-day event. Inspired by the unity of the 1956 Women’s March, Kananda wants to tackle today’s battles, self-hate, body shaming, social media-driven insecurity, and the subtle pressures that still push women into outdated roles.

“Women today are expected to work, pay the bills, raise children, and still fit into impossible beauty standards,” she says. “The solution lies in boundaries. No is a full statement.”

The Foundation’s rollout begins with practical workshops for artists on royalties and rights, then expands into nationwide roadshows with partners like South African Women in Dialogue.

Restoring What’s Been Lost

Kananda is equally passionate about cultural restoration, reviving storytelling traditions, mentoring through lived experience, and teaching the “soft skills” universities overlook.

“Most platforms are about competition and stereotypes. I want to bring back the wisdom of our community elders,” she says.

Her vision also includes tackling gender inequalities still present decades into democracy, but always with solutions, not just complaints.

The Legacy She’s Building

If the women of 1956 refused to carry passes, Kananda believes the women of 2025 can refuse to carry limitation, self-doubt, and systemic inequality.

“We want to build a virtuous woman that every little girl can look up to and say, ‘That’s who I want to be,’” she says. “When you remain teachable, you become wisdom-filled, and you can’t teach what you don’t know.”

For Dr. Criselda Kananda, this isn’t the closing chapter. It’s the moment the story turns towards legacy, the kind that will still echo long after the last festival song fades.

The Tribute To Women concert
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Mark’s Park, Emmarentia
Live music, lifestyle activations, food markets, and the launch of year-round women’s empowerment initiatives.