Seadimo Tlale, above, in the ‘One Day Leader’ reality show.
SEADIMO Tlale and Anele Nzimande, LLB Law students at Wits, are part of the final six contestants on the reality show, One Day Leader.
The show airs every Sunday at 6.30pm and sees young people tackling economic, social and political issues. They compete against each other in an effort find one future social leader for South Africa.
Wits Vuvuzela spoke to Tlale, a first year at Wits and the youngest in the competition. She explained how being on a TV show is not as glamorous as one would think.
“It’s more work than it is glamour. It’s that one hour on Sunday when you’re on TV, and three hours after that when your inbox is full because everybody’s texting you. That’s the glamorous side, then after that it’s just work, work, work,” Tlale said.
Despite the work, Tlale is thankful to have been given this opportunity to be on the show.
“I actually get to inspire a lot of people. So many people look up to me, I walk around on campus and people are like ‘Sea right? One Day Leader!’ and I’m like ‘what? Do people even watch the show?’.”
Tlale told Wits Vuvuzela that one of the major issues affecting students is that some of them express apathy towards politics and feel like political issues don’t concern them. They think someone else is dealing with the country’s challenges and they can remain ignorant of what is going on.
“I think politics is the one thing that brings us together, despite our differences as people. It’s the one platform where we can come together, be one and take a stand to actively shape our own future. To change our communities, to change everything that’s happening in our lives as students,” she said.
Tlale manages to balance her studies with being a TV star and accredits this to her passion and love for what she does.
“If you know what you want and keep focus, it’s easy to do everything and that’s how I do so much.” Tlale is part of the Wits debating team, the Black Lawyers Association, the ‘One Day Without Shoes’ initiative and a member of the model UN.
Anele Nzimande, also in ‘One Day Leader’
Wits Vuvuzela could not get in touch with Anele Nzimande. But on her One day Leader website profile, she said: “My gender, age, socio-economic status and accomplishments are secondary to my South African-ness. I am a South African first, and we have a history of revolutionary leaders who were unapologetic and uncompromising about their vision.
“There is no mathematical formula that exists when it comes to leadership but it is important to have a healthy balance of humility and fearlessness,’ Nzimande said.
Tlale explains that a leader is someone who stays relevant to what is needed within a community. Someone who is persistent but humble and someone who others feel inspired by.
Both girls want to use their influence to encourage change and give people access to opportunities and stress the importance of education.
To vote for Seadimo on One Day Leader, SMS: “Leader 2” to 34068. To vote for Anele, SMS: “Leader 4” to 34068
