Radio and TV host Samora Mangesi celebrates being off booze for six months.
He decided to quit the bottle after a series of realisations, including the unaccounted loss of funds from his bank account and a run-in with the law.
The 32-year-old Khumbul’Ekhaya presenter has always been curious about what life would be like if he could attend a gathering without consuming alcohol.
He had taken a six-month break from drinking alcohol before. But that was because of an incident that forced him to do so.
However, on April 7 he took his last sip and realised things needed to change.
“We did too much on a night out; I lost my phone, then had a run-in with the law. This time around, I think it was a culmination of those conversations I had had with myself over the years,” Mangesi told Sunday World.
Almost lost his job
He realised his excessive alcohol drinking had been the cause of his problems.
While on holiday with some friends in Rustenburg, he decided to quit.
“One night, Black Motion was performing live. And I just decided at that moment that when I get back to Johannesburg, I would stop drinking and join the gym,” he said.
“I also did a quick calculation of my income and expenses and realised that there was a large amount of money that was not accounted for every single month. Which I could only put down to drunken generosity,” he said.
In 2022, he was the host of Iqonga Labatsha, a radio show on Umhlobo Wenene. He was taken off air for what was first believed to have been a case of allegedly sounding intoxicated on air.
Samora clarified that it sounded that way due to flu medication, which he had doubled in doses. That made him sound drunk.
“This rendered me incoherent, and thus, delivering an extremely messy and substandard product on air. This led many to believe I was intoxicated,” he said in a statement at the time.
The radio station gave him time off due to his negligence in his duties. He had clocked in for work while sick and overly medicated.
Confusing hangover with anxiety
“Again, here, alcohol’s name came up. And I could have lost my job because people thought I was intoxicated. So it had to go.”
His life has changed since quitting.
“I always used to think that I suffered from anxiety, self-diagnosed. And yes, I was anxious, but I realised I was just always hungover and not anxious,” he said.
“Sometimes the effects of a [wild] night out can be felt for days and sometimes weeks after,” he said.
“I was constantly playing catch-up because you’re hungover. And therefore you’re on a ‘go slow’, not operating at optimal performance.”
He is happier now.
“I’m on top of things now. I’m a lot happier from the inside out. And my internal contentment is less affected by external forces. I’ve also gone from 96.5kg in April to maintaining a good average of approximately 84kg now.”
Making a difference
Last year, he joined the Khumbul’ekhaya team on SABC.
“This is when I realised that I really wanted to do more impactful work because it feeds my spirit,” he said.
He recently launched a YouTube channel titled The Best Of Me. It is a lifestyle and wellness movement helping people reintroduce themselves to life beyond harmful habits like drinking, drug use, and gambling.
“Our platform blends storytelling, technology, and culture. It does this to make sobriety, mindful drinking, and intentional living aspirational, joyful, and accessible through self-love and self-respect.”
