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Compiled by Lerato Mogoatlhe

Aself-confessed chatterbox, Kelebogile Seopela, who presents the woman’s talk show, Motswako, says that she has always known that her career path would lead to a talk show. Born in Katlehong 27-years-ago, Seopela’s limited TV career history reads like a dream. She was a sales assistant at a jewellery store when Motswako had a national competition to find new presenters in 2005. Seopela made it into the top four.

“The rest is history,” she says. The well-spoken lass says the best part of her job is engaging South African women through conversation. “I love touching different women in all walks of life, from housewives to corporate giants, taking strides in spheres and issues that affect women.” Off screen, she works full time for Carol Bouwer Productions (which produces Motswako) as a researcher. She is also currently a B.Comm student at Unisa.

What were you like at school?

A bit shy, but talkative.

What did you want to be when you were young?

A dentist.

What makes your blood boil?

Pretentious people.

What makes you cringe?

Traffic in Johannesburg and load shedding.

Who is your inspiration? and why?

All the women in my family for their resilience and the love they have for their children.

Do you have a secret ambition? what is it?

If I were to tell, it would not be a secret anymore.

What’s your least favourite thing about yourself?

I can be lazy sometimes.

What’s your favourite movie and why?

How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, it’s pretty old but my all-time favourite. It’s hilarious in the way it highlights mistakes both men and women make in trying to make relationships work.

What are you afraid of?

Failure.

What is your favourite colour? Why?

Blue, it has a way of making me feel refreshed.

How do you spend your Sunday?

Mostly reading newspapers and spending time with my son.

What would you put in your personal ad?

Cheerful and spontaneous.

Which songs hold special memories for you?

Let it Be by the Beatles and I Can See Clearly Now by Jonny Nash. I have no particular memories, but they are feel-good songs.

What do you know for sure about life?

Paying tax and death.

What is your greatest regret?

I don’t have any, whatever decision I made at a certain phase of my life, was the best decision at the time. That is the difference between living an ideal and living life.

What’s your favourite soapie and why?

Isidingo, it’s close to reality.

How would you define success and have you achieved it?

Success is dealing with the world as it unfolds without giving up your vision; I am almost there.

What is your next project?

I want to be more involved in empowering youth in my community, and I’d like to venture into radio.

When last did you have a good laugh, and what made you laugh?

When my sisters came over to my place for a weekend and they tried their best to teach me belly dancing – let’s just say I’m hopeless.

What’s your definition of hell?

Being out of control.

What would you never travel without?

A book to read, my i-Pod and lip-gloss.

If your house burnt down and you could save three things what would they be?

My slippers, family album and gratitude journal.

Name your top three books

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier and The Language of Man by Musa E Zulu.

If we could make three wished come true for you, what would they be?

Stop load shedding, let the love I give be accepted for what it is and make me commit to going to gym.

Do you have spiritual discipline that sustains you? what is it?

Yes, I do, my grandmother, she is the voice of wisdom and God – when I read the bible it’s a constant reminder that God made life simple but we complicate it.

Motswako is on SABC2 on Monday @ 21:00

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