A multi-talented TV presenter, actor, business person and philanthropist, Mr Maponyane is highly respected and widely regarded among the South African public. With a keen interest in socio-economic issues, he has invested much energy into addressing matters related to health and education.

He has been a member of the WWF South Africa Board since January 2017 and has brought a keen understanding of the youth audience and the causes that resonate with them.

As an entrepreneur Mr Maponyane has focused on supporting start-up small and medium-sized enterprises, serving as a director of both Silicon Maboneng and Tuta-me. In creating fresh learning opportunities for South Africa’s youth, he established BursaryNetwork, a crowdfunding platform to raise capital towards further education.

He holds a BA in media studies, French and English, with a major in international human rights from the University of the Witwatersrand.

His passion for making a difference in the lives of those around him has inspired him to volunteer at the Ethembeni Children’s Home for the last 11 years, where he also sits on the Board.

Most recently, Mr Maponyane has become a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) advocate.