Walter Mokoena (born 1978) is a South African sports broadcaster and businessman best known for working as a sports presenter for SABC.
The former SABC sports presenter has also worked for Kaya FM, Heart FM, The Citizen, and City Press newspaper, and founded the online news company The Joburg Post. He is the executive chairman of the South Africa International Water Week.
| Walter Mokoena | |
|---|---|
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| Personal Details | |
| Name: | Walter Mokoena |
| Born: | 1978 (age 47 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Carolina, Mpumalanga, South Africa |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Parents: | Aaron German Mokoena (father) Betty Velephi Nene (mother) |
| Education: | Transitional Justice Policy & African Studies Water Governance and Diplomacy |
| Alma mater: | Catholic University of Paris University of Johannesburg |
| Occupation: | Sports broadcaster, presenter, businessman |
| Spouse: | Nosizwe (m. 2016) |
| Children: | Thandolwethu Mokoena |
Early life
Walter Mokoena was born in 1978 in Carolina, Mpumalanga, into a family of four children. He is the son of Aaron German Mokoena and Betty Velephi Nene. He has two brothers and a sister.
Education
Walter attended Mphanama Comprehensive High School, graduating in 1996. As a student, he participated in school politics and served as the president of the SRC. He also studied at the Catholic University of Paris.
The sports presenter studied Transitional Justice at the University of Johannesburg. He bagged an honors degree in Policy & African Studies from the School of Leadership at the University of Johannesburg. He completed his Master’s Degree in Water Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Johannesburg.
Career
In 1998, Walter ventured into the broadcast industry after joining Heart FM (then P4 Radio Cape Town). He worked as a freelance soccer correspondent for City Press newspaper in Cape Town.
In August 1998, Walter became a sports anchor on a breakfast show for Kaya FM and went on to land many other roles, including hosting Soccer Talk Show. He started working as an anchor for the prime-time sports show Mabaleng in 2000.
In 2004, he started presenting the weekly boxing programme Blow by Blow on the public television network SABC2. He has appeared in other programs such as Laduma soccer programme, the Live Football Show, and the Monday night Coca-Cola Soccer Zone.
In 2010, Walter worked on the opening and closing FIFA World Cup matches and did every Bafana Bafana game throughout the tournament. He is the creator of the SoccerLife 442, which was later acquired by Avusa Media, and published his second weekly Football Arena.
He returned to being a football anchor for SABC in 2015, upon his return to South Africa, and was the presenter of the European Championship live from France in 2016. He also worked for Sports Trace in 2012.
Aside from sportscasting, Walter has held other jobs. He was a consultant and South African representative of The Suez Environment. He served as the special advisor to the former Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa (2019-2021).
Walter is the owner of the online media company The Joburg Post and is the CEO and founder of the MySportsBook app. He is also the founder of the South Africa International Water Week Foundation and a Journalism lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand.
Mokoena is also the founder and executive chairman of South Africa International Water Week. He had a bilateral discussion with the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo, and the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, in 2024.
He has ventured into business and has a management company.
In 2024, Walter became financially strained and struggled to pay staff salaries at his online publication, The Joburg Post, for months.
Personal Life
Walter Mokoena is actress Pearl Thusi’s ex, with whom he has a daughter, Thandolwethu Mokoena. They came together to celebrate the graduation of their daughter, who was part of the Class of 2025.
In December 2016, Mokoena married Nosizwe Vuso in a lavish and private wedding ceremony. The duo met in the water sector and dated for three years.
After six years of marriage, the Mokoena and Nosizwe separated in May 2022. They have children and are raising them together. He left their matrimonial pad in Morningside, Johannesburg, and moved to Bedfordview, Ekurhuleni.
References
- Ngwako Malatji. “Mokoena, Nosizwe call it quits”. SundayWorld.
- Katlego Sekhu. “Pearl Thusi and Walter Mokoena reunite for Thando’s graduation”. Kaya959.
- Faeza. “Walter Mokoena and Nosizwe Vuso tied the knot”. Drum.
- Drum Digital. “Walter Mokoena to wed Zuma’s daughter”. Drum.
- Munyaradzi Vomo. “Mokoena returns to African roots”. IOL.
- Julia Madibogo. “‘Broke’ Walter Mokoena ‘struggling to pay staff’”. SundayWorld.
- Misha Solanga. “Legendary broadcaster calls it quits”. Drum.
- “Walter slips into the role of presenting Blow by Blow”. IOL.
