Zolani Mahola: African Storyteller

Zolani Mahola is a South African Storyteller – she is a singer, an actress, an Inspiration Speaker and an agent for social change. Zolani Mahola aka The One Who Sings Born in Port Elizabeth in 1981, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town where she met musicians with whom she would […]

Travel & Fee Range:**

  • Travels from: Cape Town, WC
  • **Fee range: On Request

Zolani Mahola is a South African Storyteller – she is a singer, an actress, an Inspiration Speaker and an agent for social change. Zolani Mahola aka The One Who Sings Born in Port Elizabeth in 1981, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town where she met musicians with whom she would […]

Zolani Mahola is a South African Storyteller – she is a singer, an actress, an Inspiration Speaker and an agent for social change. Zolani Mahola aka The One Who Sings

Born in Port Elizabeth in 1981, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town where she met musicians with whom she would later form pan-African multi-cultural multi-genre band Freshly Ground in 2002.

17 years and 7 albums later Freshly Ground has gone on to become a household name in South Africa and is one of Africa’s most acclaimed and successful bands. They have captured the heart of the continent and have also claimed global recognition.

One highlight of their near two decade career was a collaboration with pop superstar Shakira with whom they recorded the official song for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and performed it at the opening and closing ceremony for a global audience of over a billion people. The band has to date opened stages for and collaborated with such artists as Stevie Wonder, BB King, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Robbie Williams, Oliver Mtukudzi, Vusi Mahlasela and Busi Mhlongo to name but a few.

Zolani Mahola is well loved and respected by South Africans for unifying the country through music and bridging social, racial and cultural divides. As an artist, she explores themes of identity and belonging and she shares a message of individual agency and responsibility.

She firmly believes that though we are all connected and have much in common, “our individual stories are unique; we must be curious about them, to find the reason we were put on this planet and to realise our full expression.”

She has been a judge on the acapella show The Sing-Off (2009) and guest judge on Idols (2010) and The Voice (2016), encouraging uniqueness and a good work ethic in the contestants. She sang the lead in a new South African musical “Calling Me Home” (2017) at Joburg Theatre.

Recently collaborated with Zip Zap Circus School, for whom Zolani Mahola is an ambassador and board member, and the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra at Joburg Theatre in the boundary breaking production“ Journey Beyond” (2019).

Zolani is passionate about sharing her experience for the good of her community and has expanded her portfolio to include what she terms Inspiration Talks. In these talks she shares intimately about her life story, challenges and wins … encouraging others to investigate their own stories and to share them too. She believes that this sharing and listening leads to empathy and will lead to healing pain caused by division in our societies globally.

Zolani Mahola is currently recording her debut solo material with Grammy nominated producer JB Arthur who, together with acclaimed bass player Victor Sibusiso Masondo produced Freshly Ground’s biggest selling album to date.

She will release the material in the latter part of 2019. The artist is also currently developing a theatrical production called “The One Who Sings” which will see its debut release staged at the Baxter theatre in Cape Town in November 2019. 2020 will find Zolani staging the production all over the country as well as globally.

The next phase of Zolani Mahola’s career will see her staging her musical productions in concert halls, auditoriums, concert spaces and theatres the world over as the world joyfully discovers The Next Chapter of this global icon.

Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Facebook

Zolani Mahola | African Storyteller

Speakers Contact

Speaker Enquiry Form

Talent Resources to download

In order to view the below you must be logged in.

  • Powerpoint Slide – For meeting and event planners
  • Gallery Images
  • High Resolution Images
  • PDF Files
  • Books and Magazine Links

View further speakers

Grant Gavin, a dynamic figure in Durban’s business landscape, is not content with merely achieving success; he’s on a mission to make a lasting impact. Renowned as a property expert and esteemed entrepreneur, Grant has established himself as a key influencer within South Africa’s residential real estate sector. However, his aspirations extend far beyond the […]

  • Sales Motivation

Lerato Mbele joined the BBC in 2012. Prior to that, Lerato served as a Senior Business Anchor for CNBC Africa. She hosted a variety of business programs and discussions related to the economics, business strategy, stock markets, entrepreneurship and leadership. Lerato Mbele began her journalism career in 1999 at South Africa’s state-owned broadcaster The South […]

  • Business Emcee
  • (1 reviews)

Lynette Ntuli is a visionary leader and trailblazer in the realms of property development, infrastructure, and enterprise asset management. As the Founding Director and CEO of Innate Investment Solutions, a distinguished professional services firm in the built environment, she spearheads a team dedicated to providing unparalleled property and infrastructure development services alongside cutting-edge enterprise asset […]

  • Business Strategy
  • (3 reviews)

Rick Alan has made a name for himself as one of the most versatile and captivating emcees in both the conference and sports worlds. With over two decades of experience, Rick has honed his ability to engage diverse audiences with effortless charm, a deep understanding of event dynamics, and an impeccable sense of timing. As […]

  • Event Emcee

Kate Moodley is an accomplished business woman with a number of academic qualifications which includes a Masters in Law. She began her career in legal but quickly moved into the financial services industry and insurance in particular. Kate has gone from strength to strength starting as a Candidate Attorney with Deneys Reitz. She became a […]

  • Business Leadership
  • (1 reviews)

Phumzile Chifunyise stands at the forefront of a transformative movement in Africa’s business landscape. As the Founder of The Crop Box and CEO of GreenNatives Pty Ltd, she is a visionary leader with a passion for fostering inclusive growth and empowerment. With a mission to break barriers and create opportunities for marginalized groups, Phumzile’s work […]

  • Motivational Speaker

Mpho Popps Modikoane is a remarkable South African comedian who is best known to TV viewers for being one of the superstars to compete in the sixth edition of the SABC3 reality dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing, in 2013. Popps initially got noticed on the SABC1 competition So You Think You’re Funny! in 2009 before […]

  • Comedian

Born in Diepkloof Soweto, but raised in Sandton, Mum-Z – Conference Comedian has a style of comedy that can be universally appreciated drawing most of his content from his personal experiences for your Corporate event His career started with presenting on the SABC 2 teenage continuity programme ‘Kidz Can’ in 1997, he then delved in script […]

  • Comedian
Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various conference entertainers and other talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.

Fee ranges where listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only.

All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.

Our Mission

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

Newsletter Signup

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp

Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Speakers Inc Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

We promise to not spam you!

Our Mission:

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025.  Designed using Voxel