XOLI ZONDO

Radio Sport Presenter | TV News and Sport Anchor | Environmental Scientist | Restaurateur

Show(s):

Sport: 5 Breakfast, Monday to Friday, 6 to 9 a.m.

Social Handles:

Twitter: @XoliswaZondo

Instagram: @realxolizondo

Facebook: Xoliswa Amanda Zondo

BRIEFLY:

Xoli Zondo joined 5FM on the 1^st of April, 2021.

She  made history in 2025 becoming the country's first ever winner in the Best Sport Bulletin Reader category at the SA Radio Awards. 

She obtained her BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2010 and completed her Honours in Environmental Sciences in 2011. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Wits Business School, 2016) and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Wits Business School, which she obtained in 2020.

In 2011, she worked at Soweto TV as a Presenter on a debate show for a 3-week stint. She later won the National SABC Sport Presenter Search in 2013, out of 15000+ hopefuls, and has been with the SABC since. During her time on SABC Sport, she has covered major sporting events, from FIFA World Cups and Olympics to Commonwealth Games and Marathons. She’s also anchored Women’s Football and hosted Sport Awards red carpets, most recently the 2021 Gauteng Sport Awards.

She has worked on international productions including World Rugby (Men's 2023 World Cup), International Cricket Council (2023 T20 Women's World Cup) and La Liga (La Liga Loca Africa). 

Her radio career started in 2018 on SAFM on the Weekend Breakfast Show as a Sport Presenter, before she started the epic journey with 5FM.

She has been employed in Environmental Consulting since 2016 and still practices privately as a candidate scientist.

QUICKFIRE Q&A:

If you had to sum up yourself in 10 seconds, what would you say?

A big dreamer, hustler, multitasker, a lady in search of greatness!!

Where were you born and raised?

Soweto (Southwestern Townships) in Naledi and later parts of my childhood grew up in Protea, also in Soweto.

In which towns have you lived and where are you living currently?

I have been in Joburg my entire life.

Which languages can you speak?

IsiZulu, seSotho, English.

What are your favourite towns or cities visited in SA and abroad?

Rio in Brazil, California and Las Vegas in the USA, Clarens in the Free State, Port Alfred, George and Knysna.

What are your hobbies?

Does sleep count??? (I could get paid serious money for how well I sleep and just how much I love it)

What is the craziest thing you’ve done?

A 3m freefall.

Which pets do you have, if any?

I don’t have any pets.

What’ll Google say you search for most often?

Properties that I clearly cannot afford.

5 famous people, living or not, that you would have a kuier with?

Shawn Mkhize, Zola 7, Patrice Motsepe, Carol Tshabalala and Khanyi Dlomo.

Describe your home’s interior style?

Minimalistic…lots of white and gold.

Which hash tags best describe your fashion sense?

#Simple #Timeless #Classic #Memorable #Functional

What is your ideal holiday, described in one line?

Water, beach, serenity, loads of food.

Which things would you most want to learn to do?

Learning a new language…French/Swahili.

A hidden talent that you could probably get paid for:

Organising…I’m very good at cleaning, organising upkeep of a space.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Time travelling, particularly into the future.

Which sports, if any, do you watch?

EVERY SPORT!!!

Which causes are you really passionate about?

Anything involving kids, pensioners and women. Vulnerable groups in our society.

What are the top things on your bucket list?

Partying in Lagos and Miami.

Which things in the world (and people) do you dislike?

Greed and selfishness.

Which things make the world (and people) awesome?

Sharing of ideas.

What’s your favourite thing about your 5FM gig?

Being part of a youth station!!! The future belongs to us, the young. To tap into those youthful ideas and opinions is beautiful, rewarding and challenging all at once.