Homba Mazaleni Biography: Top Billing Presenter Search Winner, Studies and Career
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Homba Mazaleni at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Known for | Winner of the Top Billing Presenter Search 2026 |
| Home | Gonubie, East London, with family roots in Dutywa, Eastern Cape |
| Studies | Human Movement Science degree from Nelson Mandela University, then postgraduate studies in sport science and biokinetics |
| Work | Biokineticist, sports broadcaster and digital content creator |
| Pageants | Top 5 finalist, Miss South Africa 2023 |
| Sister | Qhawekazi Mazaleni, Miss South Africa 2025 |
| Interests | Soccer, cricket and Formula 1 |
| New job | Presenter on Top Billing, S3 |
How She Won the Top Billing Presenter Search
The winner was named on the evening of Thursday 29 October 2026 at Le Manoir Boutique Hotel in Northcliff, Johannesburg. Top Billing confirmed the result on its official social media accounts the same night.
Mazaleni reached the top three with Nehemiah Tjatji and Karen Mthethwa, TimesLIVE reported. The other two finalists in the Top 5 were Talitha Bothma and Ross Marshall.
| Date in 2026 | Stage |
|---|---|
| 30 April | Top Billing returns to S3 after about seven years off air |
| 7 May | Entries reported open: anyone 18 or older, legally allowed to work in South Africa |
| 25 May | Mazaleni posts her 89-second audition video on TikTok |
| 30 June | Entries close |
| 6 August | Top 40 announced |
| 8 October | Top 5 confirmed after that week’s episode |
| 29 October | Homba Mazaleni named the winner |
People entered by posting an audition video on social media instead of going to a studio. Her video, with drone shots and travel scenes, drew praise online, and actress Pearl Modiadie backed her publicly. For her final challenge, Glamour reported, she covered motorsport and met racing driver Chloe Stuart, with a focus on women in a male-dominated industry.
What the Producers and Winner Said
Patience Stevens, managing director of Cardova Productions, said Mazaleni “stood out for her warmth, her curiosity and her natural ability to connect with people on screen”. S3 head of channel Sane Zondi said the channel plans to grow her talent across the wider SABC network.
Mazaleni spoke about her unusual path to television. “I didn’t take the traditional route into presenting,” she said, as quoted by TimesLIVE. She has also thanked her followers for pushing her to enter at a time when she felt low after many rejections.
Early Life and Studies
Mazaleni comes from Gonubie, a suburb of East London, and has roots in rural Dutywa. When she entered Miss South Africa in 2023, the pageant’s website listed her as a sport science graduate focusing on biokinetics, the study and use of exercise to help people recover from injury and illness. At the time she was an intern at the University of the Western Cape.
Miss South Africa 2023
She reached the Top 5 of Miss South Africa 2023, the year Natasha Joubert won the crown. Two years later her sister Qhawekazi Mazaleni was crowned Miss South Africa 2025, so the family now has both a Miss SA and a Top Billing presenter.
Career in Sport and Content Creation
Her work joins two worlds. She is trained in how the body moves and recovers, and she talks about sport on camera. Her own Instagram profile says she loves to talk about soccer, cricket and F1, and South African media describe her as a sports content creator.
Top Billing on S3: When to Watch
S3 announced these times when the show came back in April 2026. Check your TV guide in case they change.
| Channel | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|
| S3 | Thursday (new episode) | 19:00 |
| S3 | Sunday (repeat) | 13:00 |
| SABC 1 | Tuesday (rebroadcast) | 21:30 |
Mazaleni joins a team that S3 listed in April 2026 as Dr Michael Mol, Basetsana Kumalo, Jonathan Boynton-Lee, Dr Fez Mkhize, Ryle De Morny, Zozibini Tunzi, Bryoni Govender and Arno Greeff, with Sine Mpulu as social media presenter. For other shows on the public broadcaster, see the SABC 1 soapies schedule.
Homba Mazaleni on Instagram
View this post by @homba_mazaleni on Instagram
Homba Mazaleni Questions
Who won the Top Billing Presenter Search 2026?
Homba Mazaleni won. The result was announced in Johannesburg on Thursday 29 October 2026.
How old is Homba Mazaleni?
Her exact age is not clear. The Miss SA website listed her as 23 during the 2023 competition, which points to about 26 or 27 in 2026, but Glamour gave her age as 29 in October 2026. We found no confirmed date of birth, so we do not state one.
Where is Homba Mazaleni from?
She is from Gonubie in East London, Eastern Cape, and has roots in Dutywa.
Is Homba Mazaleni related to Miss South Africa?
Yes. Her sister, Qhawekazi Mazaleni, was crowned Miss South Africa 2025.
What does Homba Mazaleni do?
She is a biokineticist, sports broadcaster and digital content creator, and now a Top Billing presenter.
When will Homba Mazaleni start on Top Billing?
No date had been announced by 30 October 2026. Top Billing’s new episodes air on S3 on Thursdays at 19:00.
More: South African celebrities, TV and soapies, Nomzamo Mbatha biography.