Penny Lebyane: Biography, Age, Children, Ex, Qualifications

Penny Lebyane (born 25 December 1976) is a South African radio and television presenter and activist. She has worked at Former Metro, Thobela FM, Radio 2000, and Massive Metro.

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Lebyane hosted ETV’s Sunrise and the SABC2 Women’s Talk Show Motswako for 5 seasons. She also co-hosted the SABC2 lifestyle show Motswako from 2010 to 2013. She was a judge on the M-Net reality competition Idols in 2002.

Penny Lebyane
Iconic South African radio and television broadcaster, activist, and media entrepreneur \| Penny Lebyane.
Personal Details
Name:	Penny Matsidiso Lebyane
Born:	25 December 1976 (age 49 years old)
Place of birth:	Bushbuckridge, Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga
Nationality:	South African
Education:	Public Relations and Media Communications (Dip.)
Alma mater:	University of South Africa.
Occupation:	Radio Host, Television Presenter
Years active:	1998-date
Partner:	Ali Naka (sep.)
Chilcren:	Takunda Tshegofatso Juda Naka (son) Tamuka Naka (daughter)

Early Life

Penny Matsidiso Lebyane was born on 25 December 1976 in Bushbuckridge, Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga.

Her father purchased newspapers, and her mother adored magazines. So, she grew up reading newspapers and magazines, watching TV, and listening to the radio.

Education

Lebyane attended Thaba-Jabula Secondary School in Klipspruit. She holds a National Diploma in Public Relations and Media Communications from the University of South Africa.

Career

Penny began working at the Voice of Soweto community radio station during her Grade 12 year, where she sharpened her skills. She worked as a Metro FM DJ (1998–2010) and E.tv breakfast show host (2014–2018).

The seasoned radio presenter joined Massive Metro after a short tenure at Thobela FM. She worked there for four years. She has hosted and produced five seasons of the women’s empowerment talk show “Motswako on SABC 2”.

She has also appeared in “City Ses’la” and “I Love South Africa”, and served as a judge on the first season of Idols South Africa in 2002. She replaced Sindy Mabe as the anchor on Sunrise in July 2014.

She had an exclusive interview on Al Jazeera, an international media organization, about the impact Oprah Winfrey has had on African Women and their Development. She was a judge on the M-Net reality competition Idols in 2002.

Penny co-hosted the 8th Annual Metro FM Music Awards alongside Siyabonga Ngwekazi in 2007. She established The Penny Lebyane Foundation to offer a mentorship programme to schools and higher learning institutions

Penny presents programs on Moja Love, including Let’s Talk Papgeld, a show about the impact of child maintenance in South Africa, and UnBreak My Heart, a relationship therapy show.

She also presents Umphakathi, a show that covers service delivery issues, on Moja Love. She hosted the Sunday inspirational music-driven magazine show, Inspired Sundays, and resigned in 2024.

Penny was announced as a co-host for SABC 2’s new show, “EIntlek Let’s Connect”, which is set to premiere in February 2026. She will host alongside Fran-Rico Lucas. She was appointed as Head of Communication at the Collen Mashawana Foundation (CMF) in 2026.

Personal Life

Penny Lebyane was in a relationship with a Zimbabwean businessman, Ali Naka, which ended in 2008. They were never married but share two children, a son, Takunda Tshegofatso Juda Naka, and a daughter, Tamuka Naka. She has been living with their children since the breakup.

She accused Ali Naka, the father of her two children, of being a “deadbeat” parent. She revealed in 2024 that she raised and maintained her children for years without financial support from him.