The taxi world is a multi-billion-rand industry and one of the most dangerous fields to work in – but it is also shrouded in secrecy. Yet Imboni Yama Tekisi, a new Mzansi Magic reality show, lifts the curtain on the lives of taxi bosses.
Premiering on Wednesday 2 November at 20h00, it stars four taxi owners giving unprecedented access into their lives and what it takes to thrive in this industry.
Set in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, Imboni Yama Tekisi gives us a front row seat into the lives of some of the bosses who run the taxi industry in South Africa. The show will explore how they conduct business, their family dynamics and how they stay safe while running their empires.
“Our reality slate at Mzansi Magic is unmatched, and we’re pleased to expand the different worlds we give our viewers. The taxi industry is a key component of South African life, yet beyond the headlines, very little is known about some of the people who run it. It’s exciting to give our viewers a reality show that intimately documents those in the industry,” says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net.
“Over the past year, we’ve grown our content slate and branched out even further when it comes to reality TV. It’s a genre that resonates with our viewers and pulls in impressive numbers. We are confident that Imboni Yama Tekisi will become another audience favourite,” she concludes.
At the heart of the show is Nthabiseng Keroane, widowed taxi boss and entrepreneur. Bubbly, larger than life and a socialite, she also enjoys a 90,000+ following on TikTok (handle: @buyikey2).
Hers is a story of a woman who took over the family business following her husband’s death. It hasn’t been easy, not only due to it being a male-dominated industry, but also because she was never involved in the business while her husband was alive, so she’s had to learn everything from scratch after his death.
Then there are the Biyela twin brothers, Lindokuhle and Zakhele, who have more than 20 children between them and are navigating several co-parenting relationships. Having fled for their own safety from Empangeni, we will see them handling the taxi business despite the absence of their third business partner, their brother.
Rounding things off is Sabelo Ndaba, who has survived multiple attempts on his life, one of which left him in a wheelchair. A farm owner with dozens of cows, the Mpumalanga-based boss is also juggling his polygamous lifestyle, while trying to deal with the mother of his child, who is limiting access to the little one.
From navigating tricky family relationships to running their businesses, Imboni Yama Tekisi is the taxi industry like you’ve never seen it before.
Don’t miss out on Imboni Yama Tekisi and the conversations it will ignite when it premieres on Wednesday 2 November at 20h00, only on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161). Keep up with the latest news on your favourite shows on www.mzansimagic.tv.