Don't Hold Back: say it loud!

nstagram shows us flowers, holidays, and perfect couple selfies. But what’s really happening behind those posts? In this season finale of Don’t Hold Back, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba sits down with her husband, Skhu Mayaba, for a real, funny, and honest conversation about what love looks like when no one’s watching. They unpack the truth behind curated couple content and explore how real relationship...

What happens when your first heartbreak is your mother? In this deeply personal episode, author and coach Moshitadi Lehlomela joins Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba to talk about the quiet pain many people carry --the mother wound. Moshitadi shares how she first recognised her own wound at university, when anxiety and depression began to surface. “I realised that I had a mother wound in varsity,” she says...

* Content warning: This episode contains adult themes and is intended for listeners aged 18 and older.* You wanted more candid conversations about sex, so here it is: Nozibele reconnects with gynaecologist and sexologist Dr Nompumelelo "Mpume" Zenda, aka Dr Gynae, for an open, no-holds-barred talk on everything from libido and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) to first-time sex experiences. They de...

In the latest episode, legendary storyteller, poet and author Dr. Gcina Mhlophe reflects on what it means to preserve culture in a fast-changing world. Dr. Mhlophe shares her journey from a childhood “house of song and prayer” to becoming one of South Africa’s most respected custodians of heritage. She explains why storytelling remains the heartbeat of cultural identity - and why younger generatio...

What does “healthy” really mean? In this episode of Don’t Hold Back, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba talks to fitness coach Kopano Mokhele, who deliberately gained 25 kilos — and is now losing it again — to better understand what his clients face. Kopano shares honest lessons about food cravings, mental health, and why BMI doesn’t always apply to African body types. He also reveals five simple steps anyo...

When Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba revealed on the podcast that she’s turning 35 later this year, she admitted she was struggling with questions many women ask themselves: Have I achieved enough? Am I where I should be at this age? It was the perfect moment to bring in a mentor figure. Sitting across from her was Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp – a household name on radio and TV, an author, leadership coach, a...

How do you live proudly when the world still carries stigma? In this episode of Don’t Hold Back, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba sits down with Phenyo Moletsane - a proud Black, gay man living openly with HIV in 2025 - for a powerful conversation that goes beyond labels, fear, and silence. From navigating HIV stigma in South Africa to redefining what it means to love and live openly as a Black queer man,...

How do you talk about sex when no one ever taught you how? *Content warning: This episode contains adult themes and is intended for listeners aged 18 and older.* In this episode, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba is joined by Johannesburg-based gynaecologist and sexologist Dr Nompumelelo “Mpume” Zenda (AKA Dr Gynae). Together, they unpack how to approach first-time experiences, body confidence, and open co...

Content Warning: Sensitive Topics South African men are silently suffering. Many are dying inside, and some are taking their own lives. In this deeply personal episode of Don’t Hold Back, author, poet, and social activist Zonwabele Zola “Blackie” Tshayana opens up about his experience with depression, suicide attempts, and growing up without a father. He and Nozi speak openly about absent fathers,...

From loss to twin motherhood. From rural roots to boardrooms. In this inspiring Season 3 launch episode, powerhouse speaker and mother of twins, Sibulele Sibaca-Nomnganga, joins Nozibele to unpack what it really means to overcome the odds. She opens up about navigating miscarriage, fertility treatment, societal pressure, and the choice to tell her story — all while raising empowered children and s...

Did you know that former Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo ‘Shudu’ Musida only entered the competition to fulfill a promise to a friend? For our season two finale, host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba talks to Shudu about how getting a grip on her mental health literally helped her achieve her potential. We also find out how experiences in Shudu's upbringing convinced her that raising awareness for mental he...

Imagine living with a disease that means you cannot eat most foods, keeps you out of school, blemishes your skin and forces you to move cities - but no one has a cure, and some doctors don't even believe you. This is the story of Princess Mahogo, a young South African woman who battled celiac disease for 19 years before she was diagnosed. She tells Don't Hold Back host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba how...

Not since 1994 has there been this much hype for a South African election! And young people may swing the outcome, despite many expressing apathy and gloom at South Africa's current state. Renowned political scientist Dr. Sithembile Mbete tells Don't Hold Back host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba exactly why every single vote DOES matter, and reveals why Lenny Kravitz holds a special place in her heart!...

Chef Wandile Mabaso's hard shifts in the kitchen have taken him from coveted restaurants in the USA and France to cooking for world leaders in South Africa. Not bad for a man from Soweto whose peers once laughed at him taking cooking classes! Chef Wandile shares his recipe for success with Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba on what it takes to be part of the 1% that makes it. We're in for a tasty episode! 0...

For lawyer Emma Sadleir, there are tough cases, and then there are cyberbullying cases. The growing trend is victims are getting younger, and perpetrators are harder to catch. Not even host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba is safe, but Emma - an expert on social media law - has some tips for her and others on how to fight back. Also, if you are affected by cyberbullying or know someone who is, do check ou...

In this episode of 'Don't Hold Back', host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba talks with South African artist Seth Pimentel about his journey with mental health and art. Seth shares his experiences with Bipolar, which involved being misdiagnosed and taking the wrong medication in his early twenties. Seth says that art gave him a powerful outlet to express his true feelings when he felt like isolating himsel...

We invented tech to make our lives easier, not replace us! And with the development of AI, our lives are already impacted. But by how much? Global speaker, TEDx veteran, author, and Futurist Graeme Codrington provides Don’t Hold Back’s Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba with the hard facts on some of the disrupting forces shaping our future work. Qamngana-Mayaba asks Codrington whether, with all these rapid...

Maphuti Hlako might be the biggest fan of South African athletes. She travels the world with the nation's top sportsmen and women and is one of the few South African women in the male-dominated business to launch her own communications company focusing on sports PR. In this lively talk with "Don't Hold Back" podcast host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba — recorded in front of a live audience for our Seaso...

What began as a way to pass time during COVID-19 lockdowns has become a calling card for Tumi Mmope: she's now an award-winning TikToker and content creator. And it all started with her local neighbourhood WhatsApp chat group. Tumi, better know as ‘Tums the Narrator’ won the DStv Content Creator of the Year Award in September. But not everybody has success on social media platforms, and Don’t Hold...

Content creator, author, HIV activist, and "Don't Hold Back" podcast host, Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba, is a new mother, and she was taken aback by the sudden highs and lows of this new journey. Many young women fight a silent battle against postpartum depression. To help break the stigma surrounding the so-called 'baby blues', Nozi's joined this time on "Don't Hold Back" by radio personality, bestse...

Google's CMO Africa, Mzamo Masito, went from fighting to make ends meet to being a South African captain of industry - but his journey is littered with battles and second-guessing. Not what you'd expect from a high-flying executive. He tells Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba why young South Africans should NOT idolise Elon Musk, why Ubuntu is so underrated, and why changing jobs the right way helps you get...

In our season finale, Nozibele looks at Black Tax: what it means, why it’s a taboo topic, and how to navigate it in families. Nozi holds a frank discussion with an extra-special guest, her husband Skhu Mayaba, which allows listeners a unique insight into how Black Tax impacts relationships from friends to family to spouses. Nozi and Skhu also discuss the fine line between financial responsibility...

Managing a top business is difficult... doing it several times over with different companies is even tougher. What does it take? In the latest episode of ‘Don’t Hold Back’, Managing Director of Jacaranda FM Deirdre King tells her remarkable story of how she shattered the glass ceiling as a woman in the boardrooms of corporate South Africa. Deirdre managed three of her own companies before she was...

Can you imagine going from unemployed and broke to making it as a social media content creator? Naledi Mallela was down and out but the rising YouTube star picked herself up - and learned some valuable skills along the way! She chats with Don't Hold Back's Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba over the customary snack and the pair get on like a house on fire! Catch up with our host Nozibele · More infor...

Dating is tricky at the best of times - but can love conquer all, even the complications around a positive HIV status? In this episode, HIV/AIDS activist and digital creator Saidy Brown shares her story, and her experience on living with HIV, including navigating love, dating and how to reveal your status to a lover. Saidy was born with HIV. She found out about her status when she was 14. “It was...