For over a decade, Xolelwa Majeke has been a part of the
South African sports journalism scene, covering everything from football to
athletics and boxing. But 10 months ago, her life changed forever when she was
appointed Africa Sports Correspondent
for international network, Al Jazeera.
This international recognition is a massive honour for a woman who has more than made her mark in this highly competitive industry.
She’s been a sports fan all her life, and she’s
unapologetic about her knowledge of a variety of sport that has seen her crack
a number of big sporting gigs, including the FIFA World Cup in Germany. More
than just a sports fan, she also played hockey and tennis in her youth, was a
cricket scorer, and rallied people to support the local football and rugby
teams.
Sport is in Xolelwa’s blood and she enjoys traveling
through Africa, unearthing inspiring stories
about our continent’s athletes. She especially admires sportswomen who are
forced to overcome many obstacles and stereotypical attitudes to achieve glory
in international sport.
This courageous mother of one has also had her own
challenges as she strove to make her mark in the industry. But she is a
confident woman who has learnt to take these challenges in her stride while
continuing to excel as a sports broadcaster.
South Africa is lucky to have young women like
Xolelwa who have endured the hard times and achieved amazing successes.
Throughout her career, she has been successful as a print journalist, on radio,
and on TV. And she is not finished yet…
Introducing gsport’s February 2009 Woman in Media, Al
Jazeera’s Xolelwa Majeke!
Xolelwa, congratulations
on landing this plum role with Al Jazeera; how long have you been with them and
tell us how it came about?
Thank you so much. I’ve been with Al Jazeera for 10
glorious months. I had reached a point where I needed a change in my career, I
needed growth and I needed to be given credit and respect for where I was as a
sports journalist and presenter.
Now you know that when you start feeling that way, there’s
bound to be an incident that finally drives you to actually, actively seek that
change. Long story short, one Sunday, in a fed-up state I picked up the Sunday
Times Careers and Al Jazeera had advertised for an Africa Sports Correspondent.
I took my chances and after three rounds of interviews, I got the nod.
What is your brief as
African sports correspondent for Al Jazeera?
My brief is to bring sports and achievements in sports in Sub-Saharan
Africa, to the world. From the most popular personalities, to the athlete in
the remotest of villages, who use sport as an escape (often from poverty) and a
stepping stone to a better life. To show people all that is extraordinary and
any which is unique to sport in Africa.
Where are you based
and how has it been having to leave the comforts of your current life?
In theory I’m based in Johannesburg, but practice over the last few
months has taught me that I’m where the story is. I miss my daughter, Asive,
terribly when I’m not home…but she is amazing, she turns 5 on Feb 19, yet
she’s so grown-up…her acceptance of my absence is such a blessing. Acceptance
in that she is happy to ride along to the airport and give mommy a kiss
goodbye, without shedding a tear.
What have been the
highlights of your job with Al Jazeera to date?
Everyday with this amazing channel is a highlight , I never
thought in a million years that I could be part of something so great, a
channel that gives a voice to people who have never had one. But the first day
that my five minute feature on the Kenyan Cricket team was aired, was a real
rush. The sign off, Xolelwa Majeke, Al Jazeera, Nairobi, Kenya…was
like a dream.
Then in July, I anchored from the head studios in Doha, Qatar…and
international audience…I would have given anything for my mom to be alive just
for those two occasions. She would have been so proud. And the fact that I’m
given the freedom to source any story from any country in my footprint, Africa, is amazing – the trust and confidence in my abilities
just humbles me.
Tell us about your
first ever sports broadcasting experience. When and where?
Well my very first broadcasting experience was at a Bloemfontein based Community
Radio station, BBT. It happened by chance, accompanied a friend of mine from
University, to the station and the news reader didn’t pitch and I quickly
rattled through the bulletin. This was about 13 years ago…and I just loved the
fact that people were listening to me. I joined them from that day…lol! Then
the late, great Lesedi FM DJ, Thabang Rampoane, told me I had a flare for
broadcasting.
Where does your
passion for sport come from?
My mother told me that I have it in my genes and although
she hated to admit it…lol! It comes from my father’s side…I was a sports
fanatic from as early as I can remember…played a mean game of field hockey and
represented the Free State a few times at different levels. Played tennis and
kept score for the cricket at the boys’ games…would rally support for our
football and rugby teams whenever they had a game that the students could get
to.
What is your
favourite sport to cover?
I used to love covering football, in fact it was all I did
when I became a journalist…I worked for the weekly publication, Soccer-Laduma
and then the Star newspaper and football was my beat. But in the 10 years that
I’ve been in this business professionally, I’ve become attached to other sports
such as boxing and athletics…it’s just incredible to see people push themselves
to the limit and often with record breaking results. Also watching athletes go
from hero to zero and back to the top is another indescribable feeling.
Who are your
favourite female sports stars and what do you admire about them?
I admire sportswomen in general. They achieve great things
under difficult circumstances and often against all odds. Sportswomen in Africa
often have to defy the tradition of early marriage and motherhood and if you’re
a woman in Africa, you know it’s an often
impossible situation. But we have female Olympian Gold medallists from this
continent today…and that means that the list will keep growing.
I must add however, that I have a great deal of respect for
the Williams’ sisters, Venus and Serena…their ability to keep bouncing back, is
what makes them true champions. Then there was Marion Jones – she is a huge
disappointment to women in sport and to black women in particular and all that
they strive to achieve in sport daily. But what upsets me most is that she took
someone else’s moment in history, something that athlete can never get back…and
she didn’t even think about how hard her relay partners had worked for what
they thought they genuinely deserved.
What has been your
biggest highlight so far as a sports journalist?
Oh my word, I’ll have difficulty narrowing it down to a single
highlight. Ok, the FIFA World Cup in Germany was an
unforgettable moment. But 2010 is going to be even better…
What was the biggest
challenge you faced as a woman in sports media and how did you deal with it?
I’ve had two major challenges, one was that starting out…some
of the male colleagues and subjects could really be patronising. But they got
over themselves very quickly when I opened my mouth and they realised I knew
what I spoke of.
Then I had a child with a footballer, all of a sudden I was
perceived as a groupie instead of a grown woman, who chose to have a baby with
a man she loved. Again, my sports journo brain didn’t suddenly fall-out…and I
remain unapologetic for my choices on who I love. I’m now an international
correspondent, so that should give a clear indication that I am still the
journalist I was before and after I had my daughter.
What are your
favourite spectator sports?
I am mad about football, athletics and boxing…in that
order!
Who are some of the
sports broadcasters you admire?
I work with some really gifted sportscasters at Al Jazeera.
Locally I’ve always been and forever will be a huge Robert Marawa fan…his
humility in spite of his greatness. Wow! Then there’s Tshepo Mabona, another
one who has never lost himself, despite the success. Watching my dear friend
Kwena Moabelo grow in this industry over the years, has been wonderful. Vaylen
Kirtley is so passionate about her job and the people she reports about.
How do you keep fit?
Funny you should ask this question…Jan Bergman, former
world champ boxer, is dragging me to the gym kicking and screaming this year.
That’s in between all the travelling of course.
How do you relax?
Music…and spending time with family and friends…when I
actually get the time.
What makes you proud
to be an African woman?
Other African women make me proud to be an African woman,
my late mother and grandma, my aunts my sisters, my girlfriends…their strength,
their love and their laughter. Platforms such as gsport, by African women, for
African women, in celebration of African women, make me proud.
What is your advice
to women who would like to pursue a career in sports media?
Don’t let anyone tell you, you cannot. Be yourself.
Everyone has a special quality, bring that to the industry and never be afraid
to ask if you don’t know. Read, read, read…magazines, newspapers…surf the net,
watch a game of anything on TV or better yet, live. But if you’re passionate about
it, then all that I’ve just said above, is stating the obvious.
gsport strives to
celebrate femininity. How would you define femininity and what role does it
play in your life?
Femininity to me is the ability to play with the big boys,
beat them and still have time to freshen up your make-up before you rush home
to your husband and children and whip up a mean meal. I love the fact that I am
a success in a male dominated industry, without having lost Xolelwa Majeke, the
woman, the mommy, the daughter, the girlfriend, the sister, the aunt.
Who are your role
models?
I’ve always really just pushed myself based on the theory
that I’m only as good as my last game. My mother was a great motivator for me
and her memory still is.
What inspires you?
Athletes, who aim to rewrite history books everyday…my
daughter and people who see me do what I do and just smile from wherever they
are watching from.
What do you hope to
be doing in 2010?
I will be working like a slave bringing the best stories
from the WC and everything else that I can, to the Al Jazeera audience. We are
not a licensed broadcaster so we won’t be showing actual games, but we will
report on them and show highlights …but we will bring the world all the
off-pitch action.
What is your greatest
ambition?
To raise a good woman in my daughter…to have her contribute
positively to society one day.
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