Biography
Pepsi Pokane is a prolific television and film producer and creative entrepreneur, with a 17 year track record. He majored in International Business at Howard University (Washington D.C.) and joined the TV production industry soon thereafter. After operating as a freelancer presenter, scriptwriter and producer for a few years (2000 - 2004), he founded Bonngoe TV; a successful non-scripted production company whose achievements include: Producing the longest running live music TV show on South African TV, winning multiple SAFTA awards (South African Film and Television Awards), launching several original non-scripted formats which are still on TV today, including the likes of I Blew It, Mzansi Cribs Makeover, and Making Moves.
In 2015, he co-founded Stained Glass TV, which has gone on to become the biggest production company in South Africa by revenue and hours produced. Most notably, record breaking South African soap opera, Uzalo, which broke African TV viewership records at 11,4 million viewers per episode as well as The Wife Season 1, 2 and 3 which set a new four-day viewing record on Showmax.
In 2019, Pepsi joined Film Afrika Entertainment as a shareholder and executive director. Film Afrika is the African continent's leading producer of international films and television series, providing world-class production services to the major streamers, Hollywood studios and television networks from across the world. Established 25 years ago, the business brings together the country's most experienced and sought-after producers, line producers, legal, business and financial personnel to provide a fully integrated infrastructure that manages all local production, legal, corporate, compliance and financial matters.
In the film sector, he sits on the Executive Committee of the IPO (Independent Producers Organization); and is the founding director of IFSSA (International Film Services South Africa). He also serves on President Cyril Ramaphosa's PPGI Committee (Public Private Growth Initiative); is Chairperson of the Creative Sector in the eThekwini Mayor's Business Advisory Council, and Chairperson of the Creative Sector in the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
