The National Lottery recently announced media personality Anele Mgudlwa as its new Lotto draws host and former Idols South Africa host ProVerb (Tebogo Thekisho) as the host of its PowerBall segment. The announcement followed the confirmation of new operator Sizekhaya Holdings, which recently secured the lottery’s licence.

Mgudlwa’s draws take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:00 pm on SABC 1, SABC 2 and e.tv, while ProVerb’s PowerBall airs on the same channels in the same time slot every Tuesday and Friday.

Up close and personal with Anele Mgudlwa 

Mgudlwa playfully shared how her ever-hopeful colleagues were the real lottery players and revealed her own commitment to playing at 8:25 pm, which she says has become somewhat of a ritual. However, just like the nostalgic voices of South Africans who have lamented the decline of print media, Mgudlwa took a trip down memory lane to a time when playing the lottery on one’s smart device was unheard of.

“There was something about physically holding a ticket, folding it into your purse, checking it against the numbers on screen with your heart in your throat. Now it’s all banking apps and USSD. Quicker, cleaner, but a little less romantic,” she recalled.

As the host, however, Mgudlwa says she would never collect her winnings if she ever hit the jackpot, as this would be unethical.

With her hands in multiple pies, including but not limited to hosting her popular 947 radio show and producing various films, Mgudlwa has cemented herself as one of Mzansi’s leading queens of multiple income streams. Asked to share her time management secret, the Lotto draws host said she is not juggling but is rather sequencing.

“I don’t do everything in one day. I do the right thing on the right day. My diary runs my life. If it’s not in the calendar, it doesn’t exist,” she explained.

But more importantly, the SAFTA (South African Film and Television Awards) award-winning radio host said teamwork is key and she can never walk such a fruitful path on her own. Her self-care routine involves boundaries, her kids, husband, kitchen and her sleep. Mgudlwa also asserted that burnout is not a flex.

“I work damn hard, but I sleep harder.”

A lot of parents who are public figures shelter their children from the spotlight — Mgudlwa is no different and sternly states that her children are not the ones who auditioned for this life, she is. She cautions her children against absorbing what people say about her on the internet and is deliberate about instilling kindness, respect and a sense of responsibility in them.

“You are loved loudly at home, so you never have to go looking for it loudly out there,” is the daily bread she feeds her children.

Hosting a show that has the potential to literally change lives is a big deal for Mgudlwa, who sees the winners and not herself, the host, as the star of the show. Her belief is that luck finds you when you’re trying and praying, and she sees the Lotto as the physical manifestation of that belief.

The real ProVerb unpacked

In his interview, ProVerb is equally generous with the admission that he too takes his chances with the lottery. However, he finds it more exciting to observe the players in his social circle and their anticipation, wondering how their lives would change if they won. Observing the PowerBall process from the inside has also changed his perspective and given him insight; he loves the thrill of sharing a process that unfolds in real time with South Africans.

“I’ve seen first-hand just how rigorous it is, with auditors present on set to oversee and verify the process. In fact, during one of our live PowerBall draws, we experienced a technical issue and had to switch to the backup machine, live on air,” he shared.

That experience assured him of the show’s authenticity as well as the procedures and safeguards in place for eventualities.

Just like Mgudlwa, ProVerb has also displayed bravery by taking on various projects in the creative economy, including being a musician, a radio/television personality and an author. His creative career spans more than two decades, making it critical for ProVerb to be intentional about inner peace and exercising self-care.

“Self-care for me is holistic. I exercise, read, spend time with my family and intentionally create moments where I’m simply Tebogo, not ProVerb the media personality. I’ve also learnt the importance of boundaries, of saying no without guilt and of not feeling compelled to respond to every opinion or perception of me.”

He is not oblivious to how people’s opinions always follow public figures like himself, and this has taught ProVerb that longevity requires one to protect the person behind the personality. His book To Health With It! reinforced his belief that health is mental, physical, emotional, social, spiritual, financial and beyond.

Describing himself outside of his creativity, ProVerb says he is a father first, a lifelong student, an entrepreneur and someone who is constantly trying to become a better version of himself.

The naturally creative artist’s hunger for education led him to complete his BBA and MBA, and he is currently pursuing a doctorate with Regenesys. ProVerb also has business interests in property, but he values nothing more than time, family bonds, knowledge, health, investments, purpose and legacy.

The former Idols South Africa host is not new to life-changing TV shows. He says he has always been drawn to platforms that represent possibility and positive change. He looks forward to the human stories and hearing what people choose to do with that opportunity.

While Mgudlwa and ProVerb’s lottery shows are not aired on the same day, technically the two “work together”. There are parallels to draw between their careers as they both come from radio, have built careers in television presenting and have expanded into television production. But they have very different personalities and approaches, and ProVerb looks forward to learning from his “co-host”.