There is simply no denying that Thato Moeng is a trailblazer in the sporting world. The beautiful and talented broadcaster and journalist pours her heart and soul into all she does. And the commendable success throughout her remarkable career journey serves as tangible proof of this. 

Since childhood, sport has always been a vital part of her life. And while a lot has changed since her younger years, Moeng remains inquisitive, passionate  and deeply in love with all things sport.

“I was born in Mabopane which is in the North West but just literally on the border of Pretoria. I have always loved sports,” she said. 

As a daddy’s girl, sporting activities always formed part of  daddy-daughter time.

“My dad would say he’s going to see his friends but we would end up going to a stadium somewhere around Mabopane,” she shared. 

When Moeng attended boarding school in grade 3, her passion for the sporting world grew even deeper. 

“In hindsight, boarding school was just such a wonderful time for me. It taught me my independence. 

During the 1995 Rugby World Cup,  everyone in school was crazy about rugby. We used to sit and watch. We knew all the songs. 

And then came the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations. We were all in boarding school and we missed our parents, but we all loved sports.”

Since then, Moeng has grown into a seasoned, successful and hard-working individual in the sporting world. Indeed, her journey to iconic is not one she has walked alone. On both the  good and  the bad days, her mother and the rest of her family continue to carry, support and strengthen her.  

“My greatest support system definitely has to be my family, but my mom also. I love her very much. She has been very strong throughout the years and I’m very blessed that I still have her today. She is also someone who makes sure to keep me grounded in my busy, busy schedule”. 

Thriving in a male-dominated industry 

According to a study conducted in 2021, only 6% of global sports broadcasting is dedicated to women’s sports. As a young black woman in a male-dominated industry, Moeng admits to facing a number of challenges in her field of work. 

“A lot of people still believe that it’s not our place. 

We’re still moving in a time where unfortunately the likes of myself, Carol and Cynthia Tshaka are the first generation of sports broadcasters. It’s only now that we’re really seeing a second wave of black or brown women doing sports broadcasting. We have to work 20 times harder (not 10) than our male counterparts.”

Nonetheless, in the midst of the challenges that exist, the talented sports broadcaster admits that undeniable progress has indeed taken place. 

“We still probably don’t earn as much as our male counterparts but  times are definitely getting better. As Supersport, we have a whole campaign where we are empowering the women within the company and making sure that it’s an all-female broadcast crew for the Netball World Cup.” 

In this year’s Netball World Cup, females in sport will be given their much-deserved spotlight. From producers to directors and even camera operators, everybody working on the World Cup will be female. 

“There’s a whole group of women who are working in this male-dominated industry and we have to break down those doors. We have to get into the room and if the seat is not given to us, we have to take the whole table,” she added.

What it takes…

As an excellent sports broadcaster, Moeng shared that preparation is a very important part of her work. Additionally, a lot of continuous research is necessary in order for one to thrive in the industry. 

When asked about how South Africa’s spotting landscape compares to that of other countries, she emphasized the importance of taking all necessary factors into consideration, especially our country’s harsh history. 

“We’re talking about different finances. Other countries are also way ahead in terms of experience and participation. So if I’m going to be brutally honest and compare apples with apples, we really have done so well.” 

“This is definitely the perfect sporting destination. All tourists want to come to South Africa. Although there is definitely a lot of room for growth, we’ve made so many strides,” she said.

Undoubtedly, different types of sporting activities have the power to unite South Africans. Soccer is one of them. For 90 minutes, colour, creed and all differences are placed aside for the love of the game. 

According to Moeng, the secret ingredient for a magical soccer match most enjoyed by supporters is entertainment galore! 

“I think that’s why we love South African football so much because it’s not only about tactics. It’s also about entertainment. That’s why people come out to the stadium and fill it up. To see the entertainment. We come to see our brothers and sisters thriving,” she said.

In a world full of possibilities and where young people are free to dream, the only advice Moeng has for those who look up to her and aspire to be in her shoes someday is to remain true to self. 

“When I was younger, I used to think that everyone was lying to me and that they didn’t want to tell me the secrets of the industry. But the biggest secret is to just be yourself. There is nobody like you. Nobody can be you. And that is a big plus”. 

Motherhood – the best hood! 

As a young black woman living a life that is nothing short of remarkable, Moeng views becoming a mother as the greatest thing to ever happen to her. 

“My biggest achievement in life is having my daughter, Thando. It’s beautiful to have such a wonderful best friend. Once I had her, everything made sense,  She is my everything.”

Raising a beautiful and confident girl, Moeng views motherhood as a journey that has fueled her purpose. She has learnt a lot and continues to do so each day. 

“Motherhood has also taught me a lot of love. It has taught me that life is good and that we need to enjoy every single moment we have with each other. More than anything, I’ve learnt a whole lot of patience.” 

Life outside of sport 

On days when she is not deeply buried in her preparation process or reporting live from a sporting match, Moeng can be  found spending quality time with her family, painting with her daughter or refurbishing furniture. 

“One  day when I quit this sports thing or when this sports thing quits me, I wouldn’t mind doing a bit of interior decorating. I really love putting my spare time into refurbishing and giving furniture new life.”

Music and art…or simply a walk with her dogs are some of the things that keep her going on days when she’s feeling at her lowest. 

Although she is on our screens quite often that many may feel that they truly know her, Moeng believes her love for painting, addiction to movies and documentaries as well as her actual height still remain unknown to many. 

“I’m 1,54m. I’m really short. Terribly short!” she added laughingly. 

With many admirable career moves made and plenty more achievements still to come, Moeng believes the one word to define her journey in the sporting industry is ‘incredible’. 

If she wasn’t a sports broadcaster, she would’ve most probably been a marine biologist since that is what she wanted to be when she was younger. Owning a soccer team or opening a performance theatre are also ideas which she would not be opposed to.