Once a sensation that had gripped audiences across South Africa, The Masked Singer was a whirlwind of mystery, music, and magic. A trio of media giants—SABC, Primedia, and Anele Mdoda’s Rose and Oaks—brought this global phenomenon to local screens. Encompassing the allure of top-tier entertainment, the show blended captivating costumes, masked identities, and renowned celebrities belting out familiar tunes.
Guiding viewers through this maze of intrigue was the high-energy Mpho Popps, whose infectious humor and inquisitive nature lit up the stage. His presence brought a fresh perspective to the show, leading audiences through the labyrinth of masked performances. The flamboyant masks, crafted to mirror the best of South Africa’s essence, were an integral part of the show’s allure. Each costume had a personality of its own, inviting as much commentary as the performances themselves.
The studio audience played a pivotal role, joining the celebrity detectives in unmasking their favorite performances. Their cheers and shouts of “Take it off!” created an electric atmosphere, adding to the thrill of revelation. Beyond entertainment, The Masked Singer South Africa brought families back together in front of the television, reigniting the joy of shared viewing experiences. Anele Mdoda rightly envisioned the show as a unifying force, captivating everyone from toddlers to grandparents.
The Contestants: Unmasking the Stars
Behind the elaborate masks and ornate costumes were well-known personalities, each wrapped in a cloak of secrecy. The show’s format allowed these stars to perform without revealing their true identities until elimination. As the episodes unfolded, audiences were captivated by the sheer talent and suspenseful guessing game. Among the notable panelists were industry veterans like J’Something of MiCasa, choreographer Somizi, Sithelo Shozi, a trendsetting personality, and the uproariously funny Skhumba, each adding their unique flair to the guessing game.
Doctor Khumalo as Soccerman
Doctor Khumalo, the legendary Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana midfielder, recently unveiled his identity as the third disguised star on The Masked Singer South Africa. Despite a captivating performance of “Burnout” by Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, he was ousted from the competition. The show’s detectives, including J’Something and Somizi, grappled with guesses, initially leaning towards names like D’banj or Thembinkosi Lorch. However, it was Somizi who accurately pinned Doctor Khumalo as the masked performer. The soccer icon strategically misled with his moves, keeping his identity under wraps until the big reveal. Though eliminated, Doctor Khumalo found the experience exhilarating and hinted at a potential return. Executive Producer Anele Mdoda expressed pride in hosting such legends and teased more surprising reveals in future episodes, hinting at a diverse range of potential participants, including singers, personalities, and even politicians.
Bongani Bingwa as Banana
Bongani Bingwa emerged as the surprising contestant behind the Banana mask on The Masked Singer South Africa, leaving the celebrity detectives—J’Something, Somizi, Sithelo Shozi, and Skhumba—completely stunned. Despite his soulful vocals throwing them off, the obscure clues given by the experienced investigative journalist added to the mystery. While guesses swirled around names like DJ Cleo, Sello Maake KaNcube, and Zakes Bantwini, it was Skhumba who stuck to his conviction about the Grammy winner. Ultimately, the dazzling performance by another contestant led to Banana’s elimination. After the reveal, Bongani shared intriguing connections with the detective panel, recalling shared moments with Somizi and Skhumba. The experience, wrapped in secrecy and excitement, left Bongani amazed, particularly the clandestine arrivals and coded references used during the show.
David Kau as Hippo
In another twist on The Masked Singer South Africa, comedy legend David Kau surprised the panel of detectives by being the elusive performer behind the Hippo mask. The show welcomed guest detective Boity Thulo alongside J’Something, Sithelo Shozi, and Skhumba as six masked singers battled it out. Hippo’s cryptic clues, mentioning TV appearances, golf, cricket, and peculiar sandwich choices, left the detectives guessing. While J’Something linked the pronunciation of a word to a Western Cape origin and suspected Siv Ngesi, Boity and Sithelo leaned towards Robot Boii and Makhaya Ntini respectively. Skhumba, focusing on golf and sandwich preferences, initially thought of David Kau but eventually opted for DJ Sbu. Despite Hippo’s elimination against Sunflower and Watermelon, the panel stuck to their guesses, resulting in a jaw-dropping reveal when David Kau was unmasked. Reflecting on the experience, David and Boity praised The Masked Singer South Africa’s inclusive and engaging nature, emphasizing its appeal to audiences of all ages. Boity acknowledged the challenge of deciphering the cryptic clues but highlighted the fun in the guessing game.
Mmusi Maimane as Warrior
In an unexpected turn, Mmusi Maimane, the prominent political figure and leader of Build One South Africa, emerged as the Warrior on The Masked Singer South Africa. He became the sixth renowned personality to bid farewell to the mystery singing contest, following culinary queen The Lazy Makoti, rugby player Victor Matfield, soccer legend Doctor Khumalo, journalist Bongani Bingwa, and comedy veteran David Kau. Despite making it to the second round, Warrior, along with other returning contestants, aimed to bewilder the panel comprising J’Something, Somizi, Sithelo Shozi, and Skhumba. The detectives grappled with diverse guesses—Fikile Mabula, Big Zulu, Papa Penny, Brian Baloyi, and more—while trying to decipher Warrior’s hints about ownership, marriage, and religion. J’Something eventually cracked the clues, leading to the surprising revelation that left the panel astonished—only J’Something had accurately guessed Mmusi Maimane’s identity. Mmusi cherished the experience, noting that his decision to join the show was influenced by his children’s admiration for the international version, aiming to impress them as “a cool guy.”
Devi Sankaree Govender as Watermelon
Investigative journalist Devi Sankaree Govender, renowned for her fearlessness in exposing the truth, surprisingly surfaced as the Watermelon on The Masked Singer South Africa. Despite initially puzzling the detectives—J’Something, Somizi Mhlongo, Sithelo Shozi, and Skhumba Hlophe—with cryptic clues, Devi’s third performance led three of them to accurately identify her. Surviving through the rounds, Devi competed against other costumed characters in a new phase where every Mask was out for themselves. Her performance of Abba’s “Dancing Queen” was scrutinized for clues, including references to crime scenes and aspirations of becoming a lawyer, leading to diverse guesses from the panel—Kerishnie Naicker, Lerato Mbele, Iman Rappetti, and Devi herself. Ultimately, amidst surprising reveals, Devi emerged from the Watermelon costume, stunning the panel and the host, Mpho Popps. Delighted by the experience, Devi expressed how the show revealed different facets of personalities, though she humorously questioned the weight of her costume. She clarified the clues—her Miss SA judging role and her daughter studying where Michael Jordan frequents—shedding light on the elaborate mystery.
Zozibini Tunzi as Robot
On The Masked Singer South Africa, after multiple reveals of high-profile personalities, including seven others, the four detectives—J’Something, Somizi Mhlongo, Sithelo Shozi, and Skhumba Hlophe—finally cracked the mystery together. When the Robot unmasked, they all agreed it was none other than Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi. This revelation arrived after a series of clues and performances. Robot’s indications of her magazine cover, body art, and enigmatic references led to diverse guesses from the panel—Amanda du Point, Linda Mtobo, Joelle Kayembe, Rosette Ncwane, Lalla Hirayama, and Zozibini Tunzi. Despite some uncertainty, when Robot offered a bowl of soup with an Oliver Twist reference, confirming Skhumba’s suspicion about Zozi’s eating habits, the detectives locked in their final guesses. After Robot’s unmasking, the detectives reflected on their clues and gestures, realizing the undeniable truth that Zozibini Tunzi was behind the Robot mask, stunning not only them but also the host, Mpho Popps. Zozibini cherished the experience on the show, highlighting her love for singing and the joy it brought her.
Makhadzi as Sunflower
On The Masked Singer South Africa, Sithelo Shozi, the sharp Lady Detective, made the impressive call identifying the sassy Sunflower as the multiple-award-winning hitmaker and trendsetting “African Queen,” Makhadzi. The other detectives, Somizi Mhlongo, Moshe Ndidi, and Skumba Mhlope, nearly pinpointed her but settled on different guesses like Zahara and Mercy Pakela. Sunflower, along with other masked contestants, performed and gave hints about their backgrounds. Despite initial confusion with voice and clues, Sithelo connected the dots by analyzing Makhadzi’s career start, performances in taxis, and her nature of helping people. The revelation stunned the panel, especially Somizi, who was initially mistaken. Makhadzi enjoyed the challenge of performing covers and moving out of her comfort zone, expressing her delight in fooling Somizi and testing her artistic boundaries.
Shekhinah as Doughnut
Three of the Masked Singer South Africa’s detectives—J’Something, Somizi Mhlongo, and Sithelo Shozi—correctly unmasked Doughnut as singer-songwriter Shekhinah this week. However, Skhumba Hlope missed the mark, confidently sticking to Amanda Black. Doughnut couldn’t maintain anonymity, losing to Lion, Elephant, Tree, and Lollipop. Though Shekhinah’s name surfaced earlier, this week’s performance and clues caused confusion. In the moments before the reveal, Doughnut’s revelation of winning four SAMAs aided J’Something, Somizi, and Sithelo in solving the riddle. Despite the detectives’ confusion, the clues eventually led them to Shekhinah’s identity, praising her lively performance of Rihanna’s “Pon de Replay” and noting details from her background story. Shekhinah enjoyed the nostalgic experience and thanked the show for bringing back that theatrical vibe.
Jason Goliath as Elephant
Elephant, the jovial character on The Masked Singer South Africa, was revealed as stand-up comedian Jason Goliath, marking the eleventh unmasking on the show. Throughout the series, Elephant’s true identity kept the detectives guessing. Skhumba Hlope was unwavering in his guess that the lovable character was his comedian pal, Jason. Despite moments of doubt from other detectives, Skhumba remained confident. Elephant’s clues, mentioning siblings and a trip, pointed directly to the Goliath comedy family. Jason Goliath’s unmasking delighted the audience as he humorously shared his weight loss journey since joining the show, while playfully teasing detective Skhumba for repeatedly trying to expose him each week.
Zikhona Sodlaka as Fox
Fox, the captivating performer on The Masked Singer South Africa, amazed the detectives week after week with her stunning performances. Praised for her femininity by Sithelo Shozi and her exceptional voice by J’Something, Fox became Skhumba Hlophe’s favorite, and Somizi Mhlongo passionately rooted for her to win. Despite her incredible run, Fox surprisingly met her match against other competitors just before the show’s finale, shocking everyone. The big reveal behind the mask? None other than Zikhona Sodlaka, a beloved figure in Mzansi’s entertainment scene. Somizi, Sithelo, and Skhumba correctly guessed Fox’s identity by piecing together clues about her family, coastal education, multi-talent in the arts, and her acting skills. Skhumba’s playful theory about Fox’s flirtatious behavior pointed to Zikhona, given her blushing nature when complimented. Zikhona’s unmasking brought an entertaining display, acknowledging the detectives and the audience before emphasizing the challenges of performing in such a heavy mask while still delivering an artistic show.
Abdul Khoza as Lion
During The Masked Singer South Africa’s spectacular finale, Abdul Khoza emerged as the lion-hearted Lion, surprising the audience and the detective panel. Holly Rey, a multi-platinum singer, clinched the victory with Lollipop’s triumph over Rhino in their electrifying duet. Lion’s unmasking delighted Somizi, Sithelo, and Skhumba, confirming Abdul Khoza’s identity, while J’Something believed it was SK. The reveal brought joy to Abdul, appreciating the show’s relatability for his kids.
Kurt Darren as Rhino
Rhino’s identity disclosed Afrikaans music superstar Kurt Darren, stunning the detectives, except J’Something, who had an epiphany connecting Rhino’s clues to Darren’s career and song “Kaptein”. J’Something successfully unveiled Rhino as Kurt Darren, recognizing the hints related to Darren’s career.
Holly Rey as Lollipop
During The Masked Singer South Africa’s thrilling finale, Lollipop emerged as the first-ever queen of the stage, preserving her secret identity till the end. Behind the vibrant persona was none other than Holly Rey, a multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and SAMA winner. Holly triumphantly claimed the Golden Mask Trophy as Lollipop triumphed over Rhino in a thrilling duet performance of Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” As the show uncovered the faces behind the masks, Abdul Khoza revealed himself as Lion, while Maps Maponyane emerged from Tree’s disguise. The enigmatic Rhino turned out to be the Afrikaans music sensation Kurt Darren. Despite varied guesses by the detective panel, it was Somizi and Sithelo who accurately identified Lollipop as Holly Rey, acknowledging her accomplishments in the music industry.
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Although The Masked Singer South Africa concluded its run on broadcast TV, the show has now landed on Netflix. Stream and relive moments when detectives uncovered the hidden identities of South Africa’s biggest stars. Continue to be part of the fun by joining in the conversation on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #MaskedSingerSA.
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