Media personality and businesswoman, Relebogile Mabotja, has been named as one of this year’s Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans (#MG200Young) in the Arts & Entertainment category.

Read more: Relebogile Bags Her First Radio Award Despite Her Metro FM Boot

Now in its 14th year, the #MG200Young selects the country’s top young leaders from a highly competitive list of thousands of applicants. Relebogile being selected amongst the Top 200 speaks volumes to the calibre of work she does and of her influence in the Arts & Entertainment sector.

Celebrating 17 years in the Arts & Entertainment industry this year, Relebogile started out as a 17-year-old triple-threat stage performer and over the years has gone on to leave an incredible mark across various sectors of the arts as an actress, musician, TV and radio presenter, musical director, executive producer and the list goes on.

“Being included in this year’s Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans list is extremely humbling and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to mark my 35th birthday and 17 years in the industry. I’m grateful that my parents and the people who raised me are bearing witness to the fruits of their labour, as they shaped me to be the woman I am today,” expresses Relebogile.

On Instagram, Relebogile thanked the Mail and Guardian for recognizing her for something that she not only does but is who she is.

“Such an awesome gift in my Birthday Month but also just a moment to look back at 17 years of pushing, working, hustling, grinding, sacrificing, crying, sweating, struggling, giving…” she sharedRelebogile’s #MG200Young selection comes off the back of the debut of her recent project, MNET’s Single Wives, where she serves as the Executive Producer and is the musician behind the show’s theme song.

“There are still not enough people who look like me sitting at the tables of influence and decision-making, especially in the worlds of music, media and broadcasting. More people from minority groups need to have a say and be included in business and policies,” she told Mail and Guardian.

The personality is named amongst award-winning singer Ami Faku, who since venturing into music had reached major success such as having five different songs in the Top 100 on local radio stations. Music-streaming service Deezer named her its most popular South African female artist in 2019 and she’s among the top 10 most streamed female South African artists on Spotify.