Don't Hold Back: say it loud!

Former Miss SA: Anxiety once 'paralyzed' me

Did you know that former Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo ‘Shudu’ Musida only entered the competition to fulfill a promise to a friend? For our season two finale, host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba talks to Shudu about how getting a grip on her mental health literally helped her achieve her potential. We also…

9 Jul 41 min

Fighting an invisible enemy

Imagine living with a disease that means you cannot eat most foods, keeps you out of school, blemishes your skin and forces you to move cities - but no one has a cure, and some doctors don't even believe you. This is the story of Princess Mahogo, a young South…

12 Jun 24 min

Why your vote could decide SA's election

Not since 1994 has there been this much hype for a South African election! And young people may swing the outcome, despite many expressing apathy and gloom at South Africa's current state. Renowned political scientist Dr. Sithembile Mbete tells Don't Hold Back host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba exactly why every single vote…

15 May 30 min

Top Chef Wandile shares his recipe for success

Chef Wandile Mabaso's hard shifts in the kitchen have taken him from coveted restaurants in the USA and France to cooking for world leaders in South Africa. Not bad for a man from Soweto whose peers once laughed at him taking cooking classes! Chef Wandile shares his recipe for success…

10 Apr 31 min

Fighting back against cyberbullies (Emma Sadleir)

For lawyer Emma Sadleir, there are tough cases, and then there are cyberbullying cases. The growing trend is victims are getting younger, and perpetrators are harder to catch. Not even host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba is safe, but Emma - an expert on social media law - has some tips for her…

13 Mar 32 min

Unmasking men’s mental health battles (Seth Pimentel)

In this episode of 'Don't Hold Back', host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba talks with South African artist Seth Pimentel about his journey with mental health and art. Seth shares his experiences with Bipolar, which involved being misdiagnosed and taking the wrong medication in his early twenties. Seth says that art gave him…

13 Feb 22 min

Why AI won't steal your job just yet (Graeme Codrington)

We invented tech to make our lives easier, not replace us! And with the development of AI, our lives are already impacted. But by how much? Global speaker, TEDx veteran, author, and Futurist Graeme Codrington provides Don’t Hold Back’s Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba with the hard facts on some of the disrupting…

16 Jan 29 min

Why SA's sporting heroes are changemakers (BONUS EPISODE)

Maphuti Hlako might be the biggest fan of South African athletes. She travels the world with the nation's top sportsmen and women and is one of the few South African women in the male-dominated business to launch her own communications company focusing on sports PR. In this lively talk with…

20 Dec 2023 24 min

Meet South Africa’s TikTok Queen (Tums the Narrator)

What began as a way to pass time during COVID-19 lockdowns has become a calling card for Tumi Mmope: she's now an award-winning TikToker and content creator. And it all started with her local neighbourhood WhatsApp chat group. Tumi, better know as ‘Tums the Narrator’ won the DStv Content Creator…

12 Dec 2023 22 min

Huge pressure on new moms to 'be perfect' (Sam Cowen)

Content creator, author, HIV activist, and "Don't Hold Back" podcast host, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba, is a new mother, and she was taken aback by the sudden highs and lows of this new journey. Many young women fight a silent battle against postpartum depression. To help break the stigma surrounding the so-called…

28 Nov 2023 33 min

Stop apologising for changing jobs! - Mzamo Masito

Google's CMO Africa, Mzamo Masito, went from fighting to make ends meet to being a South African captain of industry - but his journey is littered with battles and second-guessing. Not what you'd expect from a high-flying executive. He tells Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba why young South Africans should NOT idolise Elon…

15 Nov 2023 40 min

Black Tax and how to deal with it (Skhu Mayaba)

In our season finale, Nozibele looks at Black Tax: what it means, why it’s a taboo topic, and how to navigate it in families. Nozi holds a frank discussion with an extra-special guest, her husband Skhu Mayaba, which allows listeners a unique insight into how Black Tax impacts relationships from…

28 Feb 2023 28 min

Breaking Barriers: From Disney to Nandos to leading a top radio station

Managing a top business is difficult... doing it several times over with different companies is even tougher. What does it take? In the latest episode of ‘Don’t Hold Back’, Managing Director of Jacaranda FM Deirdre King tells her remarkable story of how she shattered the glass ceiling as a woman…

31 Jan 2023 22 min

‘Got fired into my dream job’ (Naledi Mallela)

Can you imagine going from unemployed and broke to making it as a social media content creator? Naledi Mallela was down and out but the rising YouTube star picked herself up - and learned some valuable skills along the way! She chats with Don't Hold Back's Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba over the…

10 Jan 2023 30 min

Finding love and revealing your HIV status to a partner (Saidy Brown)

Dating is tricky at the best of times - but can love conquer all, even the complications around a positive HIV status? In this episode, HIV/AIDS activist and digital creator Saidy Brown shares her story, and her experience on living with HIV, including navigating love, dating and how to reveal…

7 Dec 2022 26 min

Can Western psychology and traditional healing co-exist? (Anele Siswana)

How do we know what our calling is, and what do we listen for? Clinical psychologist and traditional healer Anele Siswana has had to answer this question many times over his remarkable, groundbreaking career. From combining both African traditional spirituality with Western clinical psychology, to almost becoming a Christian pastor…

9 Nov 2022 32 min

How to make your money work for you (Bronson Friedman)

We all want to be millionaires... or at the very least have enough money to get by! Unfortunately, that's generally easier said than done. Host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba chats to Johannesburg-based Wealth Strategist Bronson Friedman, who lets us in on a few secrets on how you can you save, and even…

12 Oct 2022 23 min

Take back control of your life! (Kagiso Msimango)

(Strong language advisory) Acclaimed author and energy healer Kagiso Msimango lays out how we can manage toxic relationships without hurting ourselves. She sits down with Don't Hold Back host Nozibele Qamngana Mayaba over the customary snack and reveals how we often still have control over our lives, even if all…

14 Sep 2022 33 min

‘Sport gave me back my mental health’ (Patience Ramavhale)

Sports coach and mentor Patience Ramavhale battled mental illness from a young age, abused by a parent. Her first suicide attempt was when she was in Grade 2. It was her love for sport and passion for coaching that saw her triumph over the trauma and devote her life to…

10 Aug 2022 22 min

What is a healthy relationship with alcohol? (Clive Vanderwagen)

What's your relationship with alcohol? How do you know when drinking has become a problem rather than just a 'good time'? In a frank and honest discussion, Nozibele chats to Clive Vanderwagen - a motivational speaker, TEDx speaker and mindset coach - on everything from binge drinking to mindfulness to…

13 Jul 2022 30 min