by Thinus Ferreira
The former MultiChoice, M-Net and Netflix Africa executive Nkateko Mabaso has died. He was 43. The cause of his death is not yet known.
Nkateko Mabaso leaves behind his wife Mathapelo, his son Tshimologo and his parents Xithlangoma Bob and Lizzy Mabaso.
According to insiders Nkateko Mabaso had been ill for a few months but recovered. Insiders say he collapsed at home yesterday and was rushed to hospital but didn't make it.
Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice South Africa CEO for general entertainment who replaced Nkateko Mabaso after his MultiChoice exit to Netflix, said "It is with great
sadness that I share the news of Nkateko Mabaso's passing".
"Nkateko, fondly
known to most as NK, was a maverick within the M-Net world where he held
various roles and was instrumental in the implementation and growth of our mass and middle market propositions with the flagship being the iconic Mzansi
Magic."
"We will always
remember NK, he left an indelible mark with his work on iconic productions such
as Isibaya, The Queen and events such as the Channel O Awards, DMVCAs and
a whole host of others. May his family,
friends and colleagues find comfort during this very difficult time."
Nkateko Mabaso who had travelled extensively through Africa, Europe and the United States attended the Naspers' Leadership Accelerator programme in Amsterdam - a city he would return to years later to work in as a Netflix executive.
He received several awards including one of the Top 40 Under 40 by Destiny Magazine in 2016 as well as being named in Mail and Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in the media category in 2013.
After graduating from the AAA School of Advertising, he also earned his MBA at Henley Business School and worked for Grey Advertising.
Nkateko Mabaso joined M-Net in 2010 as the marketing manager for the Vuzu and Channel O channels and was M-Net's general manager for local entertainment channels in 2013 before later moving to the director position in 2014 for M-Net's local interest channels, as well as group general manager for M-Net South Africa in 2016.
In October 2018 he became the permanent M-Net CEO after he was acting M-Net CEO since February 2018.
Two years later he was promoted to MultiChoice's group executive in charge of programming in October 2020 overseeing content commissioning for the wider MultiChoice Group. He only worked in the position for a year until he resigned.
He jumped to Netflix where he was appointed as Netflix director of licensing and co-productions for Africa. He was in Amsterdam in this position for a year and five months, after which he quietly exited and returned to South Africa.
Since June 2023 Nkateko Mabaso was self-employed, working in content curation and distribution.
He popped up publicly at the South African public broadcaster's SABC Video Entertainment Content Fest 2024 programming upfront three months ago in March in Johannesburg, where he was a guest.
