The Sunday Times GenNext event, now in its 17th year

Television and radio personality Zanele Potelwa has had an exciting start to the year. As she continues hosting the popular television series ‘Selimathunzi’, Zanele took a major leap in her radio career as she took over 5FM’s lunchtime slot every weekday at 12pm to 3pm. Now, as her popularity continues to grow, Zanele reveals that she will be the host of the coveted 2021 Sunday Times GenNext awards this September.

The Sunday Times GenNext event, now in its 17th year, is the leading annual youth brand preference and consumer behaviour event. The 2021 results of the survey, conducted by Yellowwood who merged with specialist youth agency HDI Youth Consultancy, are particularly relevant to brands and advertisers.

The Sunday Times GenNext youth marketing online webinar series, digital activations and online awards attract the attendance of South Africa’s leading business minds and marketers. The results will showcase which brands and personalities the youth identify with the most providing important insight to brands and marketers around the world.

The awards have always been hosted by Mzansi’s most influential personalities like Pearl Modiadie in 2019 and Maps Maponyane in 2020 and Zanele’s ability to identify with so many around the country makes her the perfect personality to host this year’s event.

“To say that I’m honoured and beyond excited to be this year’s GenNext Awards host is an understatement!” Zanele, who has been a fan of the GenNext project since she was young, says. “When I watched the awards live two years ago, I remember saying to myself that I want to see myself on a stage like this one day and the fact that has now materialised is crazy and genuinely means the world to me.”

As the third wave of the Covid-19 coronavirus officially arrives in South Africa, this year’s ceremony will take place online. “As a result of our new normal, this year’s GenNext Awards is a virtual awards ceremony - but the really amazing thing is that it doesn’t take away from how the awards are still the voice of the youth in South Africa.. The awards remain about who and what the youth love.”

Zanele continues saying that the GenNext Awards remain one of the only platforms that does the research and truly communicates to brands about what the youth wants. “This ceremony actually listens to the kids. It’s so important for the future of South Africa to be heard and it’s incredible that 17 later, GenNext is still doing such a stellar job! I’m so excited for us to make 2021’s ceremony exactly what GenNext is every single year: EPIC!”

Watch the 2021 Sunday Times GenNext Awards live on 9 September at 10am on YouTube.