S3 Ep45 Dowelani Nenzhelele on “The People vs VBS”

S3 Ep45 Dowelani Nenzhelele on “The People vs VBS”

Author: Gino Shelile May 11, 2026 Duration: 22:53
Imagine waking up to find your life savings are gone forever. Well, that's what happened to thousands of people in 2018, many of them from rural and low-income communities. who had deposited or invested with VBS Mutual Bank, when it was exposed as the epicentre of a massive fraud and corruption scandal. In today's ACP, Gino talks, via Zoom, to local documentary filmmaker Dowelani Nenzhelele, whose own family lost hundreds of thousands of rands, about, not only the personal cost, but the...

Gino Shelile’s African Couch Potato offers a distinctly South African lens on the world of screens, big and small. As an award-winning TV producer himself, Gino brings a seasoned insider’s view that goes beyond simple reviews. Each episode feels like a relaxed, insightful conversation, blending a deep-dive review of a current film or series with curated recommendations for what’s worth your time in the coming week. The podcast truly shines in its interviews, where Gino chats with a variety of industry professionals right from the studio, uncovering the stories behind the stories we watch. There’s also a fond look back at older movies that deserve a fresh viewing, all discussed with a local flavour you won’t find elsewhere. It’s a comprehensive, engaging listen for anyone who loves to think and talk about television and film, delivered with the warmth and knowledge of a friend who really knows his stuff. Tune into this podcast for a regular, thoughtful fix of screen culture that feels both personal and professional.
Author: Language: en-za Episodes: 50

African Couch Potato
Podcast Episodes
S3 Ep57 Deborah Richards on “Shaken & Stirred" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:26
“A Bartender is the aristocrat of the working class.” So goes the line from Tom Cruise's Cocktail. The latest ACP is dialling in to Vegas to find out what went into the mix of Shaken & Stirred: The Story of Flair Bartend…
S3 Ep55 RIP, Sharks, World Cup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:23
A mixture of highs and lows in the latest episode of African Couch Potato. We reflect on the loss of actor and gospel singer, Seputla Sebogodi, and footballer Jayden Adams. Best known for his role as Kenneth Mashaba in G…
S3 Ep54 Thulani Headman on “FOSTA” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:10
Welcome to African Couch Potato, SA's top audio podcast celebrating African film and television, according to Feedspot.com. Music has long been celebrated for its power to inspire, but for Thulani “Fosta” Headman, it bec…
S3 Ep53 Twiggy Matiwana on “Dear Sis Dolly” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:06
July, and it is freezing in Jozi. Last week, ACP was invited to a special screening of Dear Sis Dolly, a brand new movie about Drum Magazine, and more specifically one of South Africa's most trusted voices, Sis Dolly, Dr…
S3 Ep52 Bafana Bafana, The Polygamist, The Bear, Avatar: Fire and Ash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:35
Firstly, a massive congratulations to Bafana Bafana, SA's national team for qualifying for the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup, alas, that is as far as it goes. With the football done, it's an episode of reviews, kicki…
S3 Ep51 Miguel Eek on “Amilcar” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:27
Something different this week. Among the nearly 60 titles on offer at the recent Encounters documentary festival was Miguel Eek's Amilcar. Amílcar Cabral (1924-1973) was a thinker and an African leader. He led the antico…
S3 Ep50 Disney Gets Busy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:26
Toy Story 5 comes out this week. And, it features our very own Tyla, so you can hear from her and also catch Gino's take on the latest version. Plus, it's Youth Day. It's an all Disney ep as Gino also attended the Disney…
S3 Ep49 Mandisa Zitha on Encounters Film Festival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:48
“Encounters is an opportunity to slow down and look behind the headlines to better understand our world.” - so says Mandisa Zitha, Festival Director of the annual Encounters South African International Documentary Festiv…