Woman On Top –

Thandi Ramathesele

“I’m very calm by nature, which keeps me even-keeled during moments of crisis. As much as I have an early start on most days, I always try to squeeze in an element of calmness. For instance, I enjoy burning my Jo Malone candle while getting ready in the morning – its aroma always helps set the mood for the day. I also start my mornings with worship music,” shares 7de Laan executive producer and Moja Love shareholder Thandi Ramathesele. Considering the many responsibilities that this broadcast entrepreneur juggles, you’d expect her to always be sprinting between appointments. Yet, she says knowing where and when her expertise is needed, and being a good delegator, helps her get around her tight schedule. It is this, coupled with a solid support structure and the reassurance that success can be achieved while building a strong family, that helps her remain calm. Lesson to be learnt: we’re the only ones responsible for creating

calm in our demanding careers!

To those who have encountered Ramathesele within the broadcast landscape, her name is synonymous with diligence. Even though she hit some remarkable career highs during her 14-year tenure at the SABC and in her entrepreneurial chapter, she insists that the background is where she’s always felt happiest. “I get asked all the time why I’m not out there making noise about my achievements [chuckles]. But, I’d rather have my work speak for itself,” she says resolutely.

THE BACKSTORY

Following a BA in Communications, the Fort Hare and AAA School of Advertising-educated business woman kick-started her career at Ogilvy & Mather in 1986, working on one of its biggest accounts. “I was fortunate to have worked under the tutelage of advertising industry veteran Peter Vundla,” she shares. In 1989, she left advertising for radio sales at the SABC, then moved on to TV sales five years later. In 1995, Ramathesele was part of the team tasked with rebranding TV1, 2 and 3 to SABC1, 2 and 3. During her tenure as SABC2’s head of programming, she commissioned — among many other shows — Muvhango and 7de Laan, which remain the channel’s flagship shows. She was also an international content buyer for the broadcaster. During her last four years there, she was appointed SABC2’s general manager — a role that also came with overseeing SABC News and SABC Africa to Africa. “Despite the obvious challenges, I found that the key to successfully transitioning from one field to the next was being ambitious, focusing on the similarities between the jobs and remaining curious,” she shares. With no safety net in place, when entrepreneurship beckoned in 2003, Ramathesele took up the challenge and established Izwi Multimedia. The company started out providing advertising services, but morphed into a production hub. One of her dearest productions was Bonitas House Call, an SABC2 medical show that was on air for 14 years and presented by her husband, Dr Victor Ramathesele. “I relish any opportunity to tell young women that it is possible to make it in business for as long as I have. The trick is to find your niche, and maintain a child-like curiosity. We tend to fall into the trap of replicating what’s already out there, and end up believing that there aren’t enough opportunities.”

SLEEVES ROLLED UP

That she’s now 7de Laan’s executive producer, a soapie that she saw from birth, is a full-circle moment that Ramathesele does not take for granted. She joined its creator and now retired executive producer Danie Odendaal as a partner 11 years ago, but has been fully in charge of the production for the past six years. “Much as it’s deemed an Afrikaans show, 7de Laan has a very interesting audience split that is reflective of our diverse society, she explains. She continues: “We tell universal, day-to-day stories of ordinary South Africans, hence our varied viewership. Our stories are modelled around the countless integration and cohesion opportunities for South Africans — like we saw with the Rugby World Cup.”

Ramathesele shares that she doesn’t work at arm’s length. She spends the first three days of the week at the 7de Laan offices, giving strategic direction to the soapie. Then a week before broadcast, she sits with the directors to nitpick each episode. “I also work with an exceptional team of about 110 people who do all the groundwork.” She spends the remaining days between her various other business interests, including strategic and executive contribution to Moja Love. Ramathesele’s work doesn’t end with just being a media maven. She is also the Chairperson of the Arthritis Foundation of South Africa — a platform she uses to educate people about the various forms of arthritis and how the condition affects all age groups.

THE FUTURE AND BEYOND

Having worked in advertising, TV, radio, ad sales and placement and programming, Ramathesele has enjoyed a 360 view of the broadcast industry, making her well-versed in all areas of creating lucrative content. It’s for this reason that her retirement plans include lecturing at a media school and penning a book on the broadcast industry. “When I look back at my career, I can honestly say that being a self-starter has always stood me in good stead. I always knew it was time to move on when I felt that I wasn’t learning anything new.”