'Being Mandela' offers unique window into lives of former first family of South Africa

PR NewsChannel NEW YORK

COZI TV, the new network developed by the NBC Owned Stations division of NBCUniversal, today announced that Being Mandela, a new reality television show starring Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s granddaughters, will premiere on Sunday, February 10 at 9 PM ET (re-airs at midnight ET). This 30-minute weekly show exclusively on COZI TV will follow the next generation of this unique South African family through the experiences of sisters Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway and Swati Dlamini, giving viewers a window into their daily lives, close knit family, conflicts and personal aspirations.

“We are so excited to welcome Zaziwe and Swati to the COZI TV lineup,” said Meredith McGinn, Vice President of Multi-Station Local Programming for NBC Owned Television Stations. “Along with our iconic TV series and hit movies, we know that our original programming like Being Mandela will inspire viewers to try out COZI TV and keep them coming back for more.”

“This show is about us and our lives – both as individuals and as members of the Mandela family,” said Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway and Swati Dlamini. “It offers a window on how we far we have come to reestablish our lives. We are excited to share our story and hopefully viewers will be able to appreciate how universal the human story is.”

Being Mandela principally features the engaging sisterly duo of Zaziwe and Swati, who are the daughters of Zenani Mandela Dlamini, Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s daughter, and Prince Thumbumuzi Dlamini, a Prince of Swaziland. Both women were born in South Africa, but spent much of their youth in exile in the United States while their grandfather was imprisoned. They returned to South Africa as teenagers upon their grandfather’s release from prison in 1991.

As sisters, daughters, granddaughters, mothers and businesswomen running their own clothing line called “Long Walk to Freedom,” their personal and professional lives are on full display throughout the 13-episode season. Highlights include their first ever visit to Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. While there, the sisters see the jail cell where their grandfather lived, tour the limestone quarry where he worked, which caused him permanent eye and lung damage, and meet the former warden who remembers helping to smuggle Zaziwe into the prison as a new baby so Mandela could meet her. While in Cape Town, the women also go shark cage diving with Great White Sharks, which leads to one frightening encounter. Additionally, they venture to nearby Swaziland (one of the last absolute monarchies in the world, with a King that has multiple wives), where they are the nieces of the current King (granddaughters of the former, now deceased King) and thereby full-fledged African princesses.

COZI TV is currently available to nearly 38 million homes in the largest markets in the country, including the 10 NBC Owned Stations in New York (WNBC), Los Angeles (KNBC), Chicago (WMAQ), Philadelphia (WCAU), San Francisco Bay Area (KNTV), Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS), Washington, D.C. (WRC), Miami-Fort Lauderdale (WTVJ), San Diego (KNSD) and Connecticut (WVIT), among many other stations. For more information about COZI TV, please visit www.cozitv.com. Updates about COZI TV are also available via Facebook at www.facebook.com/cozitv and Twitter @CoziTV.

Being Mandela is executive produced by Jonathan Zager for JZ Productions, Rick Leed for Content Provider and Damien Brown for New Vision Pictures. Previously, Zager produced shows such as CBS’ The Insider, Entertainment Tonight and The Talk. Leed created and executive produced the E! reality hit series, Dr. 90210, and was president of Wind Dancer (Home Improvement.) Brown is one of South Africa’s leading television producers, with numerous international shows to his credit, including the hit series Running with the Reps and Dineo’s Diary.

About NBC Owned Television Stations
NBC Owned Television Stations is the division of NBCUniversal that includes 10 local television stations and their websites and digital platforms, as well as a group of out-of-home properties, a production company and COZI TV (www.cozitv.com). The 10 stations produce and deliver compelling and unique local news, information and entertainment programming to viewers in the communities they serve, which include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Dallas-Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Miami, San Diego and Connecticut, with a goal of connecting to their audiences anytime and anywhere.

Direct link: http://www.prnewschannel.com/2013/01/28/cozi-tv-to-launch-reality-show-starring-nelson-mandelas-granddaughters/

SOURCE: NBC