SAB AND PARTNERS LAUNCH 3RD SEASON OF REALITY TELEVISION SERIES FOCUSING ON UNDERAGE DRINKING
SAB, along with its partners, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and youth marketing agency, HDI, today launched the 3rd season of the reality television series, Future Leaders. Future Leaders is a 13-episode series which follows the lives of five ordinary teens from all walks of life who have each been affected by underage drinking. The show documents their journey to becoming positive change agents and role models within their respective communities and schools.
A launch event raising issues around underage drinking
The launch was anchored by a panel discussion focusing on underage drinking in South Africa and the critical importance of youth development as a means to addressing the problem. Facilitated by South African media personality and author, Eusebius Mackaizer, panellists included:
- First Lady Madam Bongi Ngema–Zuma
- Director of Operations for the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), Nthuseng Mpahlele
- SAB Executive Director Corporate Affairs and Transformation, Monwabisi Fandeso
- Sizwe Dhlomo, South African television personality and youth activist
The panelists gave their personal perspective on how the problem of alcohol abuse in South Africa can be resolved and how South Africa’s youth can take up a leadership role in the country.
Education and individual responsibility
“Education, including on how to lead a healthy lifestyle, is key to finding a resolution to the problem of alcohol abuse in South Africa. And we need to take a collaborative approach in dealing with the issue. Everyone has the responsibility to roll up their sleeves and decide what kind of society it is we want to live in, ” First Lady Madam Bongi Ngema–Zuma.
Healthy behaviour makes business sense
“SAB has a very targeted approach towards building strong South African communities outlined in our global sustainable development framework, Prosper. One of its key imperatives is to encourage responsible consumption. It makes business sense for SAB for people to drink responsibly because a healthy society enables a thriving business environment. “The company has initiated a number of hard hitting programmes to tackle the problem of alcohol abuse in South Africa, including around issues of underage drinking under which Future Leaders falls, drinking and driving and assisting with enforcement, and fetal alcohol syndrome. We strongly believe that young people should not indulge in alcohol at all as there are a number of consequences for their development, ” Monwabisi Fandeso, SAB Executive Director Corporate Affairs and Transformation.
Making a difference by working together
Speaking on behalf of the NYDA, Nthuseng Mpahlele said, “We have a responsibility to look after young people and their health. A programme of this nature is one step in the right direction to develop a youth that is able to take country to the next level. It assists us in extending our reach in the areas that we function. In addition, an initiative such as Future Leaders is a clear demonstration of how we can make a real difference by working together.” Sizwe encourages the youth to draw on role models in their everyday life and to emulate them as a means of making a difference in their lives.
The story of the Future Leaders TV show
Future Leaders was first broadcast in late 2013 and renewed for a 2nd season the following year. The Future Leaders III contestants are
- Sechaba Mthombeni , 16, from Kroonstad in the Free State
- Hlengiwe Mcoyi, 15, of Northdale in KZN
- Chanlyn Biggs, 16, of Atlantis, Western Cape
- Monicca Malebana, 15, of Seshego in Polokwane
- andLionel Malatjie, 16, Thembisa, Gauteng
In this new season each of the contestants will be guided through their Future Leaders journey by a dedicated mentor. This is a change from the previous two seasons where contestants shared mentors.
Mentors
Future Leaders Season III mentors are all local personalities with a passion for youth-related issues. The mentors are:
- Dikeledi Makhongoana, known as DK, from Lesedi FM
- Loyiso Mdebuka, (DJ Loyd) from Good Hope FM
- Jessica Tims, youth tv presenter on YoTV and Blue Couch
- Makwena Makgakga (Kwenesto) of Thobela FM
- Sihle Makhanya, 2015 Miss SA contender and qualified Quantity Surveyor
The mentors are in turn guided by South African social activist, entrepreneur, author and columnist, Shaka Sisulu, who has served in this position since the second season of Future Leaders, taking over from Khaya Dlanga. Shaka will also play a key role in guiding contestants.
An extension of the You Decide programme
Future Leaders is the extension of You Decide, an initiative to help curb underage drinking in South Africa, facilitated through a partnership between the South African Breweries (SAB), the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), provincial departments of Education in KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State, Eastern Cape, Limpopo; and local youth marketing agency, HDI. You Decide raises awareness of the dangers and consequences of underage drinking through targeted interventions aimed at youth and the broader communities they live in, including parents, teachers and taverners. The programme has reached more than 600 000 learners across the country since its start in 2012.
Developing young leaders
Future Leaders aims to identify and develop young leaders while creating awareness around critical social and economic issues, namely the problem of underage drinking. Viewers experience the teens’ personal daily struggles and the decisions they are faced with making as they work towards making a positive difference in their own lives and that of their peers. The show is based around the specific community projects each of the five contestants select and set out to implement. By providing a more constructive recreational environment through these projects, the producers believe teenager’s choices to consume alcohol and engage in irresponsible behaviour will be affected.
Viewing times
The first episode of Future Leaders III will air of SABC 1 starting Sunday, 16th August 2015 at 5pm. Thereafter episodes will move to begin 30 minutes later at 5.30pm on Sundays.
More info
For more information on the You Decide underage drinking programme take a look at the Twitter hashtag (#SABYouDecide), Facebook page and website. For more on Future Leaders visit them on Facebook or Twitter.
