“I am just a country boy from Mzimkhulu.” Sihle Sinethemba Dlamini

Sihle Sinethemba Dlamini

SABC Kids News presenter, Tshwane University of Technology student studying towards a Language Practice Diploma. Born in Mzimkhulu a village located in Kwazulu Natal, a first born out of four children raised by his grandmother.

Sihle Sinethemba Dlamini shared his life journey with #Insight

On a recent interview I had with him, he said he grew up in Mzimkhulu for the first ten years of his life. Mzimkhulu is a rural area located in Kwazulu Natal. He described the difficulties he faced growing up in an area with no basic facilities. “I used to fetch water, wood and cattle daily.” Said Dlamini. He mentioned that he used to engage in stick fighting and traditional dance as a hobby as they were no playing facilities such as parks for children in the area.

In 2007 in the middle of the year when he was in Grade 8 at ST.Paul’s Secondary School he got ill. “I was now a burden to my grandmother, because at some point I couldn’t walk.” Said Dlamini. His parents based in Johannesburg had to intervene and he then moved to Jo’Burg to live with his parents. Within two days he said he got healed and regained his mobility without going to the doctor or hospital.

Dlamini enrolled at Zifuneleni Secondary School in Orlando East (Soweto). “Everything was new to me the languages Sotho and Setswana, I had to try and communicate in English.” Said Dlamini. He then moved to Bona Comprehencive School just next to Zifuneleni and that where he completed his matric in 2011.

“In 2012 I took a gap year because of financial difficulties.” Said Dlamini. During the year of 2012 SABC Kids News were looking for a presenter he went on to audition just for fun sake. Dlamini said “we were 95 and short listed to 5 but I didn’t make it.” He started researching about translation courses because the producers told him he got a score of 8/10 because he failed to edit the script he was given.

He found out about Language Practice and applied at various Universities that offered the course. He was accepted at TUT, Dlamini was supposed to start his academic year in 2013 but finances stopped him again. He then enrolled in 2014 through the help of the National Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

During his second year in 2015 he auditioned at TUT FM to be a news reader and he got the job. “The management wanted me to be a presenter for a mid-day show but it clashed with my classes at that time.” Said Dlamini.

In 2016 SABC Kids News was again looking for presenters. Dlamini said “it took me four years to audtion again for SABC Kids News, but I was now ready because I knew what to expect at the auditions.” This time around he got the job, “after getting the job I had to shadow the outgoing presenters luckily the TUT strike worked in my advantage.” Said Dlamini.

He said his job doesn’t affect his studies as the show is pre-recorded the previous day and he works for two weeks a month and the other two weeks are for his co-presenter Lindokuhle Cele. “Luckily in my course there are evening classes, after I am done at the SABC, I am able to come and attend my classes.” Said Dlamini.

#Insight spoke to Kutlwano Pule a friend of Dlamini, Pule said “I met Sihle last year around March, he is a straight talker, he is a cool person that you can have a good conversation with.” Another friend of Dlamini, Natan Dzombeni said “we met in the early days of 2014, he is a supportive, encouraging and kind friend. Even if I fall he is always there to help me up, he is a hard worker and he inspires me, he is a friend I want to keep forever.”

Dlamini said he is inspired by Noxolo Mtshali who used to present Kids News and now presents SABC1 lunch time news. In five years’ time Dlamini sees himself being a translator, a freelancer within the media industry because he doesn’t want to be a man with one job.