Nono Cele-Xaba exemplifies the dynamism women bring to sports production

Storytelling drives the senior producer for local football and outside broadcast director to trailblaze a trail in her lane.

The partisan nature of football can easily polarize any relationship dynamic. Whether it is friendships or within family – the passion for the sports and the teams we love can ignite something special in one. For Nono Cele-Xaba and her father, it brought them closer together.

Her story led her to SuperSport as a young graduate and 17 years later she is now one of the leading senior producers for local football and outside broadcast director. The riveting nature of the beautiful game enticed and ignited her passion for storytelling.

She came through the DStv Diski Challenge – which is now in its 10th anniversary season – a pathway that laid the platform for Nono to become the first female director of a major local football final when Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates clashed in the Nedbank Cup final in Mbombela in May. She then doubled her history-making tally when she directed the MTN8 final featuring the Buccaneers and Stellenbosch FC in Durban in October at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

“I love telling African stories. I love telling the stories of courage, of perseverance,” she passionately explains. “That's really what I wanted to do in life, but also I have this passion for football because my father and I bonded through sport.”

Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is tough and she, like many others, had to overcome a lot of obstacles and stereotypes to establish herself as not only a competent but also an excellent practitioner in her craft.

Often, women are mischaracterized as unable to collaborate well with one another, but for Cele-Xaba, one of the most standout moments of her career was when the SuperSport #HereForHer campaign took a life of its own and dispelled the bigoted notion.

“There are so many moments that I can think of in my career that speak of female empowerment, but I don't think there's anything that comes close to the 2023 Netball World Cup,” Cele-Xaba proudly recalls.

The tournament in Cape Town was a global first as an all-female production team brought the premier Netball tournament live on Your World of Champions without compromising an inch of elite-level broadcasting – not that it was ever in doubt.

“To be surrounded by female greatness, to be surrounded by women who love what they do, women who are in sports broadcasting, who are excelling at the highest level – I don't think there's anything that comes close to that. That was history in the making.”

Much like any great team, success lies in their ability to uplift and learn from one another. The humility to absorb information from one’s peers is what inevitably carves a sharpness that delivers the proficiency that makes her an exemplary professional.

“I take different things from different people. I'm inspired by a lot of females. I think that's the single bravest thing that you can do to own your space, to raise your hand, to use your voice, and to stamp your authority like how I do.”

The self-assurance oozes out of Nono. There are no grey areas; there is the job and she is always there to do it … well. Her skill level has risen, and her flair is there to see. If Thembi Kgatlana reincarnated beyond the pitch – the maverick reborn is Nono.

But she is not satisfied with her story being the only one. Ultimately, it is all about the next generation.

“Open the doors. Give opportunities to women because they've proven time and time again that their presence matters, and they bring a different dynamic to the work that we do.”

The dynamic is electric and infectious and Nono Cele-Xaba plans on spreading the love and her knowledge far and wide.