Ayanda Thabethe

Last updated
Ayanda Thabethe
Ayanda Thabethe for Quick Face.jpg
Thabethe in 2022
Born
Ayanda Thabethe

(1986-03-17) 17 March 1986 (age 39)
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Other namesAyanda Matsimbe
Education
Occupations
  • Television presenter
  • entrepreneur
  • model
Years active2012–present
Spouse
Andile Ncube
(m. 2014;div. 2016)
Peter Matsimbe
(m. 2025)

Ayanda Thabethe (born 17 March 1986) is a South African television presenter, model, and entrepreneur. She is best known as a host on the lifestyle and entertainment show Top Billing and BET A-List. She founded her own marketing agency namely Buzzworthy Production in 2011.

Contents

Thabethe is also known for her appearances on Expresso and Celebrity Night Games on BET Africa. She has worked as a brand ambassador for several notable brand including Pond's, L’Oréal, Johnnie Walker, Vodacom and more.

Early life

Thabethe was born on 17 March 1986, [1] KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and she was by a single parent, a mother after her parents divorced when she was. [2] [3]

Thabethe did her matric at Sacred Girls High School and attentend the University of Pretoria where she graduated in 2007 with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce in Communication Management. [4] In 2011, she received an honours degree in Marketing from the University of South Africa. [5] She enrolled from Henley Business School where she obtained Master of Business Administration in 2025. [6] [7] [8]

Career

Television

Thabethe's first television role was co-hosting Top Billing's Top Entertainment program in November 2012, with rapper AKA. [9] [10] In July 2016, she made her acting debut in Mzansi Magic telenovela Rockville season 4 playing the role of stripper Aliyah. [11] [12] [13] In the fall of 2016 she became the co-host of the BET Africa program A-List, with Nandi Madida. [14] [15] She co-hosted the program into 2017. [10] In March 2017, Thabethe became a presenter on the SABC3 lifestyle program Top Billing, displaying the life of the country's rich. [10] [16]

She appeared in several television shows including Tooth and Nails as pregnant teenager, Generations: The Legacy as Gugu and Acting Zion playing the supporting role of a Detective. [17] [18] Later that year, she became a host for Ayanda’s Fashion House season 1. [19] She co-hosted in E! show Celebrity Game Night South Africa edition with Anele Mdoda and Jason Goliath in 2019. [20] [21] The following year in 2020, she begged another hosting gig in a lifestyle show Africa Modern. [22] In 2022, Thabethe hosted Afrimaxx Pan African lifestyle show on Home Channel. [23] [24]

Other ventures

Lungile and Ayanda Thabethe in 2022 Lungile and Ayanda Thabethe for Quick Face.jpg
Lungile and Ayanda Thabethe in 2022

Thabethe began his career in 2011 when she founded a marketing firm, "Buzzworthy Production Agency". [25] [26] She upgraded her career where she was leading in commercials and collaborated with notable brands Vodacom and Nissan Leaf in 2012. [27] She was named the brand ambassador for Pond's and L'Oreal. [28] [29]

In 2014, Thabethe opened a hair salon based in Johannesburg named Liyanda Experience. [16] In 2022, she founded a make-up line "Quick Face Beauty" with her sister Lungile Thabethe. [30] [31] She later collaborated with Samsung alongside her sister. [32] [33] In 2024, she had a collaboration with a fashion brand namely FARO Africa, launching an exclusive modern style. [34] [35]

Personal life

In 2014, Thabethe married South African television sport presenter Andile Ncube; they divorced in 2016. [36] [37] [38] In July 2025, she married businessman Peter Matsimbe and currently in a relationship for four years. [39] [40]

References

  1. Vellem, Mihlali (21 March 2023). "'Thank you, LOML': Inside Ayanda Thabethe's birthday surprise". The South African . Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  2. "Ayanda Thabethe spoils her mom with a new car on her 60th birthday". News24. 2019-03-16. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  3. Walubengo, Peris (2019-08-14). "Ayanda Thabethe biography: age, date of birth, child, ex-husband, dash, siblings, braids and Instagram - Briefly.co.za". briefly.co.za. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  4. Mzandisi, Compiled by Iviwe. "'Mrs M to be': Ayanda Thabethe shows off stunning 10-carat engagement ring". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  5. Reporter, T. M. O. (2020-10-05). "Ayanda is IT for Africa Modern". The Media Online. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  6. Kamko, Aphiwe. "Ayanda Thabethe bags MBA degree from Henley Business School". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  7. Miller, Sergio (2025-05-05). "Ayanda Thabethe celebrates MBA and distinction". Bona Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  8. Tladi, Molemo (2025-05-05). "Ayanda Thabethe gets her MBA". The Citizen. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  9. "Top Entertainment | TVSA". TVSA. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 "Ayanda Thabethe's ready to own her throne on Top Billing". TimesLIVE . 27 March 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  11. Digital, Drum (22 Jul 2016). "Ayanda Thabethe's big break". News24 . Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  12. "It's No Rules, No Boundaries, and No Mercy, In Rockville Season 4!". DStv . 17 June 2016. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  13. "This is how Ayanda's is preparing to be a stripper". TimesLIVE . 30 April 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  14. "BET's A-List -ers: Nandi Madida & Ayanda Thabethe". Independent Online . 22 August 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  15. Van Der Veen, Danica (22 August 2016). "Nandi & Ayanda to present BET A-List". Glamour South Africa. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  16. 1 2 Buthelezi, Siphelele (23 April 2017). "Stunning Ayanda Thabethe " right" for Top Billing". Independent Online . Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  17. Modise, Kedibone (2018-08-19). "Inside Ayanda Thabethe's lavish gender reveal party". IOL. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  18. "PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  19. Ferreira, Thinus. "Ayanda Thabethe on new magazine show: We're celebrating everything beautiful about Africa". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  20. Morkel, Graye. "'I think this is the most fun I've ever had on television,' Ayanda Thabethe returns for Celebrity Game Night". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  21. "Ayanda Thabethe dishes on joining 'Celebrity Game Night' for another season". TimesLIVE. 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  22. Ferreira, Thinus. "Ayanda Thabethe on new magazine show: We're celebrating everything beautiful about Africa". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  23. Zuma, Mbalenhle (2022-08-12). "Ayanda Thabethe to host Afrimaxx on Home Channel". Sunday World. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  24. "Ayanda Thabethe dishes on epic new The Home Channel lifestyle show 'Afrimaxx'". TimesLIVE. 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  25. Mbonambi, Buhle (2016-10-06). "Meet Mzansi's rising star Ayanda Thabethe". IOL. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  26. Digital, Drum. "Woman Crush Wednesday: Ayanda Thabethe". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  27. Dokubo, Titi (2018-04-24). "Hot Sauce! Star Girl AYANDA THABETHE Is Radiant In Her 2018 PR Images". Style Rave | The Ultimate Style Guide. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  28. Reporter, Lifestyle (2025-04-26). "Your last chance to be the face of Pond's". IOL. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  29. Style, BellaNaija (2020-07-06). "BellaNaija Style's Best Beauty Instagrams of the Week: Mihlali Ndamase, Jackie Aina , Ogwa Iweze & More". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  30. Mkhazi, Loyiso. "Lungile and Ayanda Thabethe on their collab - 'Makeup is something that has always brought us together'". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  31. Zuko (2022-03-10). "Sisters Ayanda and Lungile Thabethe announce their makeup business". KAYA 959. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  32. "A snapshot of our December cover story featuring Ayanda & Lungile Thabethe". www.glamour.co.za. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  33. Samsung Pay with Ayanda Thabethe . Retrieved 2025-11-04 via petarspiljevic.com.
  34. Sibiya, Sibongumenzi. "Fashion meets elegance!". Daily Sun. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  35. "Ayanda Thabethe Teams Up with FARO Fashion Retail Brand for Exclusive Collaboration". www.glamour.co.za. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  36. "Andile Ncube: My marriage wasn't horrible". News24 . 15 March 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  37. Keteyi, Oluthando (30 May 2022). "Ayanda Thabethe sets the record straight about her 'divorce' from Andile Ncube". Independent Online . Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  38. Ngcobo, Nokuthula (31 May 2022). "'We didn't get divorced': Ayanda Thabethe on her marriage to Andile Ncube". The South African . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  39. Malatji, Ngwako (2025-07-06). "TV icon Ayanda Thabethe says 'I do' to truck business tycoon". Sunday World. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  40. Manuel, Compiled by Marilynn. "'Surrounded by love': Ayanda Thabethe shares stunning snippets of her commitment ceremony". News24. Retrieved 2025-11-04.