Lichaba Nthethe

Writer / Producer / Format Developer

BASE: Roodepoort, South Africa
EMAIL: lichaba@gmail.com
PHONE: +27 81 319 6087
LINKEDIN: /in/lichaba
IN INDUSTRY: Since 2001
UPDATED: Oct 2026

Notes

Writer, producer and format developer with 25 years in South African television. My credits span documentary, reality, talk, factual and live sports for the SABC, Mzansi Magic and SANParks, including SAFTA-winning series. I develop and run formats end to end, from concept and pitching to on-set content producing and post supervision.

Awards

3 ENTRIES

SAFTA winnerUmkhonto Ugwaza EkhayaMzansi Magic · Devandile Media · 2024, 2026
SAFTA winnerPale Ya KosâSABC 2 · Full Circle Productions · 2017
SAFTA nomineeMapungubwe: Echoes in the ValleySABC 3 · Full Circle Productions

Languages

Sesotho (mother tongue) / English / Setswana / Sepedi / isiZulu / isiXhosa

Productions

21 ENTRIES

#	PRODUCTION	ROLE	COMPANY / CHANNEL	YEAR	STATUS
01	Echoes of the MarchDocumentary series · 4 partsHow the 1956 Women’s March shaped South African women, then and now.	Content Producer, Format Developer	Full Circle ProductionsSABC 2	2026	In production
02	Echoes of KrugerDocumentary series · 2 partsA hundred years of Kruger National Park, from before its proclamation.	Creative Director	Rise Up ProductionsSANParks	2026	In production
03	Echoes of BambathaDocumentary filmThe life of Chief Bambatha and the historical questions around it.	Content Producer	Full Circle Productions	2026	In production
04	ImveloFactual series · Seasons 1 & 2Explores South African cultures and the meaning behind their rituals.	Series Director	Rise Up ProductionsSABC 1	2017–18, 2026	On air
05	Ama 2000Intervention seriesSingle parents of at-risk children ask the absent parent for help.	Content Director	Rise Up ProductionsSABC 1	2026	Pre-prod
06	Umkhonto Ugwaza Ekhaya2 seasonsLed from concept through to set.SAFTA winner	Content Director	Devandile MediaMzansi Magic	2024, 2026
07	Eyamadoda2 seasonsLed from concept through to set.	Content Director	Devandile MediaMzansi Magic	2024, 2026
08	Short & SweetSeason 3Joined for season 3; oversaw the project from development to production.	Content Producer	Devandile Media	2025
09	OddballOriginal seriesA series about unconventional jobs.	Format Developer, Content Producer	Brown Panther FilmsNFVF	2024–2025
10	Life After WeddingWrote the series treatment; content produced from pre-production to post.	Writer, Content Producer	MsocoRockers TV / Rockast TVNFVF	2024
11	AmagrootmanReality series	Format Developer	Devandile MediaMzansi Magic	2024
12	BromanceReality series	Format Developer	Devandile MediaMzansi Magic	2024
13	CEO Nights with Nyimpini MabundaPodcastInterviews with corporate leaders from organisations such as Denel and Eskom.	Writer	Dzuguda ProductionsNedbank & Avis	2023–2024
14	BEYONDDocumentaryDocumentary on the life of a deaf person, for a disability magazine.	Creative Director	Deaf Empire Studios	2023
15	IndeedDocumentary seriesThe stories of South Africa’s six Nobel laureates.	Content Producer	Full Circle ProductionsSABC 3	2019
16	Are Itsaneng	Script Editor	Keneilwe MokokaNFVF / KZNFC	2018
17	Pale Ya KosâMusic documentary series“The Story of a Song”: the people and context behind hit songs.SAFTA winner	Content Producer, Format Developer	Full Circle ProductionsSABC 2	2017
18	A Song of Hope	Script Editor	Full Circle ProductionsSTEPS Initiative	2009–2016
19	Now or NeverDocumentary seriesOrdinary people at a crossroads after extraordinary events.	Writer, Format Developer	Dzuguda ProductionsSABC 1	2008–2016
20	Ba Kae?Studio talk showFavourite former stars return to the studio to share where they have been.	Writer, Format Developer	Dzuguda ProductionsSABC 2	—
21	Mapungubwe: Echoes in the ValleyDocumentary series · 3 seasonsTraces the people of Mapungubwe to their descendants today.SAFTA nominee	Content Producer	Full Circle ProductionsSABC 3	—

01
Echoes of the March2026
Content Producer, Format DeveloperFull Circle Productions · SABC 2 · Documentary series · 4 partsIn production
02
Echoes of Kruger2026
Creative DirectorRise Up Productions · SANParks · Documentary series · 2 partsIn production
03
Echoes of Bambatha2026
Content ProducerFull Circle Productions · Documentary filmIn production
04
Imvelo2017–18, 2026
Series DirectorRise Up Productions · SABC 1 · Factual series · Seasons 1 & 2On air
05
Ama 20002026
Content DirectorRise Up Productions · SABC 1 · Intervention seriesPre-prod
06
Umkhonto Ugwaza Ekhaya2024, 2026
Content DirectorDevandile Media · Mzansi Magic · 2 seasonsSAFTA winner
07
Eyamadoda2024, 2026
Content DirectorDevandile Media · Mzansi Magic · 2 seasons
08
Short & Sweet2025
Content ProducerDevandile Media · Season 3
09
Oddball2024–2025
Format Developer, Content ProducerBrown Panther Films · NFVF · Original series
10
Life After Wedding2024
Writer, Content ProducerMsocoRockers TV / Rockast TV · NFVF
11
Amagrootman2024
Format DeveloperDevandile Media · Mzansi Magic · Reality series
12
Bromance2024
Format DeveloperDevandile Media · Mzansi Magic · Reality series
13
CEO Nights with Nyimpini Mabunda2023–2024
WriterDzuguda Productions · Nedbank & Avis · Podcast
14
BEYOND2023
Creative DirectorDeaf Empire Studios · Documentary
15
Indeed2019
Content ProducerFull Circle Productions · SABC 3 · Documentary series
16
Are Itsaneng2018
Script EditorKeneilwe Mokoka · NFVF / KZNFC
17
Pale Ya Kosâ2017
Content Producer, Format DeveloperFull Circle Productions · SABC 2 · Music documentary seriesSAFTA winner
18
A Song of Hope2009–2016
Script EditorFull Circle Productions · STEPS Initiative
19
Now or Never2008–2016
Writer, Format DeveloperDzuguda Productions · SABC 1 · Documentary series
20
Ba Kae?
Writer, Format DeveloperDzuguda Productions · SABC 2 · Studio talk show
21
Mapungubwe: Echoes in the Valley
Content ProducerFull Circle Productions · SABC 3 · Documentary series · 3 seasonsSAFTA nominee

Positions

Jun 2023 – presentHead of Content / Content DirectorDevandile Media, Randpark Ridge
2021 – 2024Script Editor & ConsultantMsocoRockers TV, Keneilwe Mokoka, Full Circle Productions

Teaching

2024Masterclass: TV Proposal WritingKZN Film Commission (now KZN Tourism Authority) × Sunrise EmandliniCrafting and packaging TV proposals for commissioners and broadcasters.

Pitched for and with

Full Circle Productions / Brown Panther Films / Tribal Media House / Devandile Media / Semamo Film / Connect TV

Skills

Format development

Concept, proof of concept and format bibles
Pitching and packaging for commissioners
Casting logic, beat sheets and segment architecture

Content producing

Research, interviews, character arcs and story maps
Shaping scenes on set; ethical storytelling
Story edits with editors; adapting arcs in post

Writing

Reality, docu-series, talk, sports and factual
Treatments, proposals and pitch decks
Short stories and narrative development

Production

Live studio producing and segment design
Storyboarding and team leadership
Builds digital tools for production (TypeScript, React, Python)