Tim Modise

Tim Modise interviewing Nelson Mandela for Ubuntu (view full video)

Timothy Molefe Modise is a South African journalist, TV and radio presenter. Tim Modise has worked in the broadcast media for over thirty years. He has worked for various radio & TV stations of the SABC, M-Net, Primedia, BBC, PowerFM, Radio Bop and TouchHD across different formats from music, current affairs & talk shows. He was inducted in the South African Radio Hall of Fame in (2011). Modise's main contribution to broadcasting has been the design and introduction of new programming formats including talk shows and current affairs in a completely music environment such as MetroFM (1988). He worked closely with the late Sam Mabe and Aggrey Klaaste, the editor of Sowetan on the newspaper's Nation Building project. Amongst others, Modise participated extensively in the coverage of transition from 'apartheid' to the new 'constitutional democracy', reporting and commenting on the unbanning of the ANC and other liberation movements, the release of political prisoners, the uprisings, and subsequent negotiations that ushered in the South Africa of today. Through his talk show, he opened a channel of direct communication between the public and influential leaders such as the late Chris Hani after the Boipatong and Bisho Massacres in (1992) as well as Joe Slovo on the Sunset clauses. He provided voter education on his programmes, public engagment on the transitional constitution, and hosted the debates leading to the elections of 1994 which he also covered on both radio and TV. His highlight was as panellist on the Mandela/de Klerk debate which was broadcast to a global audience of 800 million. He has interviewed all South African Presidents since 1990. He has also interviewed foreign leaders including the French president Jacques Chirac, Namibian president Sam Nujoma, Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda, the Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Other international notables include ArchBishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Prof. Edward Said, Noam Chomsky, Cornel West and many highly respected South Africans. Tim Modise’s career highlights include, working as political analyst for AMB Securities and HSBC, as a columnist for City Press newspaper.

Leadership:  He was appointed founding chairman of Proudly South African by President Mbeki, served as Chief Communications Officer of 2010 World Cup, was chairman of Sizwe IT Group, which he later led as CEO. In other capacities he was member of the Kaiser Foundation and Health Systems Trust Panel, The Open Society Foundation, Love Life, and chairman of the Tourism Transformation Charter.

Public Engagements: The range is varied across facilitating conferences, moderating workshops and directing events and shows. His speaking engagements include graduation ceremonies of University of Cape Town, University of Witswatersrand, UNISA and Tshwane University of Technology. He has participated in conferences on education, health, culture, media and political development. He facilitated many public events including the launch of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund programme directed Jazz and Award Ceremonies  

Community: He has chaired the Garankuwa Forum for Excellence supporting education and sports, serves as council member of the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and the board of Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital.

Accolades: He has received recognition and awards in media, community development and human rights. Presented with Reconciliation Award by ArchBishop Desmond Tutu on behalf of the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation in 2001. Awarded best broadcaster by the SABC in the early 90’s, Communication Award by Tshwane University of Technology, the Jaime Brunet International Human Rights Award, The University of Navarro in Spain and The Paul Harris Award by Rotary Club. Others include…

Tim Modise is still involved in the media and takes an active interest in the community, political and economic developments of South Africa. He not only produces his shows, he’s been invited to comment on CNN, BBC, ITV and others. He obtained AMP from Henley Business School. His interest is reading biographies, development of nations etc. and the arts particularly music Modise lives with his children in Kyalami, Johannesburg.

Born on 8 September 1961 in Pretoria, he attended Moruleng Secondary School before beginning his career in broadcasting.

He is also featured interviewing Nelson Mandela in the video Experience Ubuntu, supplied with every desktop installation of Ubuntu Linux.