The spotlight will soon shine on three granddaughters of South African icon Nelson Mandela, as the women become focal points of a new reality TV show.
The program possibly will air in the United States starting in January, said David Manaway, who is married to one of Mandela’s granddaughters involved in the production. It hasn’t been announced on what channel it will appear, with Manaway saying only “negotiations” are ongoing.
The show came about after Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, 34, and the oldest granddaughter being featured, managed to arrange a meeting with Dr. Robert Rey, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who is the subject on an E! reality show, when he came to South Africa.
The sisters and cousin, all granddaughters of Mandela and all raised in Boston, arranged for U.S. producer Rick Leed to meet with two South African companies. They discussed crafting a reality show following the trio’s personal and professional lives.
“The pieces of the puzzle just fitted, the decision was fast, one Skype call and the rest, as they say, is history,” said Leed.
Dlamini-Manaway, described as the “mother figure,” is the child of Mandela’s daughter, Zenani, who was born to Mandela’s second wife, Winnie.
Dlamini-Manaway is married to David Manaway, an American businessman she met while studying psychology at Clark Atlanta University, and has a 10-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. Her third child is due in January.
Her 32-year-old sister Swati Dlamini is a single mother with a 3-year-old daughter. She works in the communications field, as well as in setting up a charitable foundation focused on housing, education and health, according to show producers.
The youngest granddaughter to be showcased on the show is Dorothy Adjoa Amuah, 27, whose grandmother was the South African leader’s first wife, Evelyn. She has a law degree and recently earned her master’s in business administration — specializing in luxury management — from a school in Monaco, according to show producers. Described as sociable and fun, she lives with her brother and dog, Pan.
The description of the show describes all three women as “refreshingly authentic” and “positive role models to women all over the world.” The Mandela family supports “the right for their children to choose their own destiny and their own path,” the Cutting Edge release said.
