‘I reached a point where I was getting frustrated so I decided to put the show on hold,” said Dali Tambo about his much-loved magazine show, People of the South.
The show was cancelled 10 years ago and Tambo attributes that to viability and the desire to explore other business interests.
“I studied with a number of people in the UK and some of my colleagues are earning something like £18 million a year (R232m), and that is out of broadcasting alone. Here you have to do broad- casting for the love of it, otherwise the financial rewards are not that great,” he said.
“So around the time that I stopped producing the show, I was starting a young family and had to go into business to support them.
“But the other day my daughter, who is 10, asked me if what she had heard – that I was on TV before – was true. It just hit me then that I should do it again,” he explained.
Also, over the years Tambo has been watching local docu- mentaries that have made him want to dive back into broadcasting.
“Every now and then, there is always someone coming up with an interesting topic and it makes your instincts jump you back into your passion,” he said.
The return of People of the South comes with few changes Tambo was happy to talk about.
“We have moved away from having guests in a studio. Instead, we move around with chosen guests in the places they are most comfortable, like their homes.
“We get there, sit, share a meal and talk about what the subject is busy with. For instance, there is an episode where we went to sit and dine with President Jacob Zuma at his home. The subject of The Spear came to light and it was interesting how his children expressed their feelings on the subject,” Tambo said.
So who makes the cut to be featured on the show?
“Any South African who is making a difference in society can be featured on the show.
“We have had people such as the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, and FW de Klerk’s wife, Marike de Klerk, among others,” he said.
The title of the show, Tambo explained, is based on the notion that people south of the equator have stories worth telling.
“We are obviously looking at achievers from this part of the continent and telling the world how well they are doing.”
• Dali’s Tambo’s People of the South airs every Sunday on SABC3 at 8.30pm.