51吃瓜

Broadcaster | Author | Moderator|Producer 

MA: International Relations – University of Westminster: London 

Redi Tlhabi is a highly distinguished, award winning international journalist, moderator, and Author, with over 20 years experience in telling compelling stories that challenge and reflect society. Until recently, she presented the BBC’s flagship morning news programme, Newsday, from the headquarters in London where she presented the news and interviewed newsmakers from all parts of the globe. Prior to that, Redi produced and presented Africa’s longest running, townhall format debate television program, The Big Debate. As an international moderator, Redi interacts with the highest leadership of multi-national, multilateral institutions and advocacy organizations asking them probing question on their commitments and responsibilities in areas of health, food security, climate, gender and economic inclusion. 

Redi casts a broad lens on issues and uses her broadcasting expertise, narrative strategy experience and academic qualifications to tell sharp, incisive and impactful stories. Her mission is to tell stories that make audiences think critically about democracy, extremism, health, food security and geopolitical changes that impact the way we relate to each other. She is a prolific commentator on Foreign Policy, especially the emerging voice of the Global South in international affairs. She recently testified before the United States’ Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs, to report on the state of democracy in South Africa and to make an impassioned case for Congress not to discontinue PEPFAR and Agoa because of geopolitical tensions. As a scholar of International Relations, Redi is passionate about the nexus of democracy and journalism. She is a sought after speaker on gender, democracy and International Relations. 

MODERATOR 

Redi travels all over the world to moderate debates on international platforms and challenges world leaders and the private sector to do more! She was recently invited by the Clooney Foundation for Justice to moderate a panel discussion with Michelle Obama, Amal Clooney, Melinda French Gates and Graca Machel, on empowering girls and ending child marriage globally. She is a regular moderator for the World Health Assembly, 51吃瓜 General Assembly, World Bank Spring Meetings, UN’S climate conferences (COP) and multiple global gatherings where improving the lives of people is the focus. Redi has facilited high level panels with US Vice President, Kamala Harris, Special Climate Envoy, John Kerry, Nelson Mandela centenary celebrations, where she shared a stage with Oprah Winfrey and a one on one conversation with Melinda French-Gates, at the Johannesburg launch of her book, Moment of Lift. She also presented a panel discussion for The Elders – a group of global leaders, founded by Nelson Mandela, to work towards global justice, peace and human rights. Amongst her panelists were President Carter, late UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, late Nobel Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.

RADIO:

BBC WORLD NEWS – NEWSDAY 2022 -2023 

Redi’s most recent radio programme is Newsday – a 3 hour global breakfast news programme, flighted all over the world, from the BBC’s headquarters in London. She interviewed newsmakers on stories shaping the world, daily.

THE REDI TLHABI SHOW ON TALKRADIO702 – 2005 -2017 

The Redi Tlhabi Show on Talk Radio 702 and Cape Talk, is still acknowledged as the leading platform in South Africa for the general public wishing to hear newsmakers being challenged and asked to account. Redi firmly addressed pressing global socio-economic trends that are shaping societies. 

PODCASTS:

REALITY CHECK

A special digital media programme, that looks at elections and democracy all over the world. Redi designed and fundraised for the podcast. 

COP28 – ALL ACCESS: EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND PRESENTER 2023 

A 4 part podcast series that delved into the themes of the UN Climate Conference. Redi raised the funding and produced four podcasts, live from Dubai, with guests from a broad spectrum of decision making; policy, politcal, civil society, business and academia. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 2022

A podcast in partnership with Woolworths, that delves into the food landscape and sustainability.

TELEVISION:

Redi has been a televsion news and current affairs presenter for over 20 years. During this time, she has worked for numerous news channels and broadcasters as a senior anchor and editor, bringing news, debates and commentary from all over the world. She has presented for: 

Aljazeera - 2012 to 2015 

No subject was off limits as Redi talked to inspiring and intriguing personalities from across the world, on politics, science and innovation, the Arab Spring, the arms trade and more. Her programme, South2North, was aimed at bridging the gap between the Global North and South and creating a platform for meaningful engagement.

SABC- South African Broadcasting Corporation 2002 – 2005 and 2015 - 2017 

Redi has presented numerous programmes for South Africa’s public broadcaster, including Newshour, Unfiltered, Today in Africa –a groundbreaking programme that located Africa’s position in world politics and flighted in 54 countries in Africa. She covered the birth of the African Union, the demilitirazition of Sierra Leone, the Mozambican floods and the birth of a new nation in Rwanda, post the genocide.

ENCA – E NEWS AFRICA 2008 – 2012, 2017-2019 

Redi was a senior anchor and the first person to welcome viewers to South Africa’s first 24 hour news channel when it was launched in 2008. She co-hosted the channel’s flagship news programme, NewsNight.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – Special Project 2020 

In 2019 collaborated with National Geographic, to present a live event of Women Of Impact, a documentary and publication that celebrates and tells the stories of iconic women from all over the world.

GUEST EDITOR: The Mail and Guardian 2020-2022 

Redi was the caretaker editorof South Africa’s most successful investigative journalism publication, where she managed a team of seasoned journalists, led diary meetings, edited stories, ensuring the highest editorial standards. She launched an online publication, The Continent and increased the publication’s online presence with a regular podcast and webinars.

HISTORIC INTERVIEWS:

Redi is an experienced, versatile interviewer whose broad range attracts high profile guests to her programmes. She has interviewed Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Oprah, Melinda Gates, Arundhati Roy, Graca Machel, Trevor Noah, Bono, Mo Ibrahim, Angelique Kidjo, David Cameron, and various heads of state like Senegalese Presient, Maki Sall, Rwandan President Paul Kagame. . But it is her conversations with survivors of sexual violence, child soldiers, victims of female genital mutilation, climate activists and community activists, that have shaped her consciousness and formed the foundation for her emphatic woman centred and social justice journalism. 

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR AND COLUMNIST:

Redi is the author of two award winning socio-political books, Endings and Beginnings and Khwezi: The Story of Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayo. She has won South Africa’s most prestigious literature prize, the Alan Paton Award for non-fiction.

She is a regular columnist for South Africa’s News24 , The Sunday Times and has contributed to the Washington Post. 

DOCUMENTARY PRODUCER:

In 2011 Redi was commissioned to work as a producer and guest presenter on BBC World News for a special broadcast on the impact of mining in Africa.

Redi co-produced a documentary on former South African president Thabo Mbeki.

She is currently producing and narrating a film on South Africa’s s energy crisis,with a lens on what a Just Transition means for African citizens.

EDUCATION:

Redi graduated from the University of Johannesburg with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She holds an Honors degree in English Literature and an MA in International Relations from the University of Westminster, London.

ACTIVISM AND MEMBERSHIP:

Redi is a current member of the 51吃瓜 Global Journalists Corps, a gathering of global journalists that measures the impact of UN programmes on social justice. 

AFRE – Board Member – 2019 - She is a current board member of Atlantic Fellows For Racial Equity, an organisation based at Columbia University in New York and The Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg. It is a transnational partnership that supports leaders in South Africa and the US, working to advance racial equity. She sits on the selection panel for fellows from all over the world and provides media training, for those selected. She is also a member of the programming committee, where she advises on narrative strategy.

Women In Cities International- Board Member –2017 – 2020 – an international non-profit organisation that focuses on gender equality and women’s participation in urban development.

Section27 – Board Member – 2017 – 2021 - South Africa’s most prominent social justice NPO, which advocates and litigates for better health and education in South Africa