Mzansi Insider is a South African breakfast magazine show (originally a youth talk show) produced by Bonngoe Productions which covers a wide variety of topics including entertainment news, music videos, stand-up comedy, movie reviews, motivational speakers, dance inspired exercise routines, doctor's responses to viewer health questions and news- related issues.
The series originally aired as a two-part documentary in September 2007 before being resurrected as a companion show to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Its third incarnation was as an entertainment magazine show and it was retooled in August 2012 to become a talk show. In 2013 it was once again revamped, this time as a live weekend breakfast show.
Mzansi Insider originally covered lifestyle events and incorporated user-generated content to draw in viewers and make them part of the Mzansi Insider experience.
Using social networking platforms, viewers were able to connect and be part of the show using live feeds from Facebook and Twitter.
The show also gave viewers the chance to see their favourite celebrities, taking them into their world and giving a front-row experience on their day-to-day activities.
Viewers also got to see what goes on behind-the-scenes of various SABC1 shows. The show also included interactive, conversational and quirky elements from the latest local music to live on-line feeds.
When it became a talk show in August 2012 the show repositioned itself as an edgy, trending topic-driven offering. This "reloaded" second season of the show began to explore pertinent and newsworthy topics as seen through the eyes of South Africa's youth.
Hosted by Phila Mazibuko and Kedibone Mkhabela, Season 2 remained true to its promise of getting the inside track; and this time the topic-focused talk format provided a platform that leveraged off the Twitter and Facebook cultures of airing opinions on issues that are at forefront of public consciousness.
The fresh approach saw an in-studio panel, comprising of comedians, celebrities, journalists and thought-leaders discussing and dissecting hot issues, pertinent to young South Africans.
Tying into the conversations were the comments and views shared on social media platforms, which formed an integral element of the Mzansi Insider positioning. The show was also supported by sound bites and vox pops and maintained a heavy online presence.
The show was given another overhaul for Season 3, which saw it evolving into a live, youth-targeted weekend breakfast show which promised to be fast-paced, topical, exciting, entertaining and informative and covering everything from entertainment news to health issues.
According to channel executives the show was revamped because weekend breakfast was an offering they had not catered for before.
Since Season 3 the show is studio-based and anchored by two young and dynamic hosts: Tsholofelo Maseko (former Ses'khona presenter and actress) and Katleho Sinivasan (former presenter on YOTV and Play Your Part S2). Maseko left the show for Season 5 and was replaced by Rorisang Thandekiso.
Each episode of the show is divided into the following segments:
Saturday segments include the following: entertainment news (latest from the world of fashion and entertainment); music videos; stand-up comedy and movie reviews; life advice on a variety of issues and a segment focusing on young film makers.
Sunday segments of the show comprise the following: motivational speakers sharing tips on better living; music videos (the best of local and international gospel and R&B hits); profiles on young Mzansians making an impact in their worlds; dance inspired exercise routines; doctor's response to viewer health questions and covering interesting news related issues.
Presenters
Mzansi Insider was originally hosted by former Live presenter Phila Mazibuko and was initially co-hosted by opinionated twins Hlelo and Ntando Masina, who previously hosted Channel O's Young, Gifted & African.
After they landed their own reality show on a rival channel they were replaced by Minnie Dlamini, midway through the first season.
Dlamini left the show in August 2012 (her last show was Monday 20 August) and was replaced by former continuity presenter Kedibone Mkhabela. Also in August 2012, comedians Skhumba Hlophe and Sifiso Nene joined the show as contributors.
Mazibuko and Mkhabela left the show after Season 2 and were replaced by Tsholofelo Maseko (former Ses'khona presenter and actress) and Katleho Sinivasan (former presenter on YOTV and Play Your Part S2) for the Season 3 breakfast show. Maseko left the show for Season 5 and was replaced by Rorisang Thandekiso.
In Season 6 Rorisang was joined later in the season by Kgaugelo "KC" Mokholwane, who won an Mzansi Insider Presenter Search in November 2017.