Spotify has announced the launch of its first Johannesburg Podcast Live Sessions – an initiative bringing South Africa’s emerging podcasters face-to-face with their fans on Saturday, 25 October 2025, at Workshop 17 in Rosebank, Johannesburg. The live series celebrates local voices at the forefront of doing storytelling differently and deepening the connection between creators and listeners.
As part of the programme, Spotify hosts these three live podcast sessions featuring some of the country’s fastest-growing shows that include Sibling Thrivalry, What in the 20s, and Still Uncaptured, all bringing their own voice and flavour to the South African podcast landscape.
Sibling Thrivalry is hosted by siblings Talitha and Zuko Ndima, and unpacks the beautiful chaos of sibling dynamics. The show has seen a massive 564% jump in plays and a 281% increase in followers since January 2025. Its audience is overwhelmingly female, making up 72% of listeners, with the most-played episode being “Bonus Episode: Dad Is Finally in the House”, where the duo sit down with their father for a rare and hilarious family conversation. Spotify data also reveals that the top 3 countries listening to the podcast are South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
What in the 20s, hosted by Zama Mkhize, offers unfiltered reflections on navigating adulthood for those in their twenties – the confusion, ambition, and everything in between. The podcast’s following has grown by 222% this year. Its audience skews towards young women making 66.5% of listeners from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya among the top 3 countries streaming the podcast. The top episode, “You Can’t Have Both”, explores the sacrifices required to build the life you actually want.
Still Uncaptured, co-hosted by Kgomotso Matsunyane and Ndumiso Ngcobo, brings a bold, no-filters approach to South African and global political and social issues. The show has recorded a 454% increase in followers since January 2025, with a loyal base aged 28 – 44, of whom 51.8% are women. Listeners’ favourite episode this year, “Discussing African Spirituality with Mkhulu Nobamba”, dives into indigenous spiritual practices and their modern significance. Spotify data shows that the podcast is heavily consumed by South Africans, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
These live sessions build on Spotify’s growing investment in South Africa’s podcast scene. In October 2024, Spotify opened its first local podcast studio, hosting a line-up that included all three of the shows that will feature at the live sessions.
“Podcasting is a growing medium for storytelling, and fans are coming to the platform to connect with the creators they love and in-person events allow audiences to deepen their connection to their favourite podcasters” says Ncebakazi Manzi, Spotify’s Sub-Saharan Africa Podcast Manager.
Globally, Spotify now hosts over 250,000 video podcast shows. Data shows video listeners retain content longer, making it a central part of the Spotify experience and a key way creators are building loyal communities.
Through the Johannesburg Podcast Live Sessions, Spotify aims to help creators turn digital audiences into real-world communities – celebrating the local voices shaping South Africa’s creative future.
Spotify remains committed to investing in the country’s creatives by providing a platform to the people and conversations driving its cultural pulse.
