By Yenani Madikwa:
Africa is calling again – louder, prouder, and more poetic than ever before. Fresh off a major international triumph, the groundbreaking African travel and culture series Breaking Down Borders Africa is preparing for an explosive new chapter. After recently clinching the prestigious Silver Telly Award in the Television – Travel & Tourism category, the celebrated pan-African production has unveiled its newest leading lady: acclaimed South African poet and performer Botlhale Boikanyo.
And she is not merely stepping into the spotlight – she is arriving with thunder.
Nearly a decade after the series first captured audiences with its fearless celebration of African identity, culture and creativity, the Breaking Down Borders Africa Tour is making a triumphant return with ten new African countries on its itinerary and a renewed focus on storytelling through poetry, movement and lived experience.
For Boikanyo, the appointment is deeply personal and historic.
The award-winning poet, who famously became the only spoken-word artist to win South Africa’s Got Talent, described her new role as “a dream come true.”
“Taking the reins from Paul Modjadji, who successfully launched the platform 10 years ago and carved it into a platform that has global reach and impact, is a wonderful challenge,” she said. “It is an honour to embark on my first Africa poetry tour with this incredible initiative in this 50th year of the youth uprising and the 70th year of the 1956 Women’s March.”
Her words signal more than a hosting gig – they announce a cultural pilgrimage.
Boikanyo has spent years cementing herself as one of South Africa’s most dynamic creative voices, balancing poetry with powerful acting performances in productions such as Scandal!, alongside acclaimed films The Deal and What About the Boys. Now, she takes centre stage on a continental platform designed to connect Africa through its stories, rhythms and youth.
This season promises a dramatic artistic evolution. While dance remains one of the heartbeat elements of the show, season two will place storytelling and poetry at the forefront, creating what promises to be a deeply emotional and visually rich exploration of the continent.
“Storytelling and movement are intertwined in Africa,” Boikanyo
explained, hinting at a season that will blend spoken word, culture, memory and performance into one cinematic journey.
Season one of the series travelled through countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal, immersing audiences in Africa’s heritage sites, bustling cities, tourism landmarks and creative communities. The show became known for revealing not just destinations, but the pulse of the young Africans shaping them.
Its first season aired on SABC 1 in a prime-time slot, ending with a glittering two-part finale hosted by media personality Minnie Dlamini. Now, season two is preparing for an even grander odyssey.
The team is set to begin touring in September, with destinations including Morocco, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cape Verde among the countries on the slate. Co-producer and director Paul Modjadji believes Boikanyo’s arrival marks an important shift for the franchise.
“Botlhale Boikanyo brings with her a youthful zest and an undeniable connection to young people,” he said. “Her community development and advocacy work complements her mass appeal.”
Co-producer Wandile Molebatsi echoed the sentiment, saying Boikanyo’s appointment recognises “the importance of the oral tradition in African storytelling and culture.”
As Africa Month celebrations continue across the continent, the rebirth of Breaking Down Borders Africa feels symbolic – a declaration that African stories are no longer waiting for permission to be heard. They are crossing borders on their own terms. With poetry in their lungs, dance in their footsteps and a new generation leading the way. – @NewsSA_Online
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