LOOKING TRASH. Inept Project Runway South Africa on Mzansi Magic announced Noni Gasa and Rahim Rawjee as judges on a Friday Evening - and couldn't bother to tell TV critics beforehand it would be doing so or invite them.

What a trash look: In a really badly done announcement party on Friday evening by Ndalo Media that doesn't bode well at all for Project Runway South Africa starting in July on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), Ndalo revealed that Nonhlanhla "Noni" Gasa and someone called Rahim Rawjee will be resident judges on the reality competition show.

Khanyi Dhlomo's Ndalo couldn't be bothered to alert the South African media covering television or TV critics that there would be an announcement event or invite them - something that doesn't bode well for the Rapid Blue produced show on Mzansi Magic, that doesn't seem to want nor care for media buy-in from the press who will be covering Project Runway South Africa.

 Khanyi Dhlomo and her Ndalo Pictures rubbed the press the wrong way with Friday evening's glitz-mess announcement event that left journalists scrambling trying to find out what's going on (and what went wrong) - and why M-Net's Mzansi Magic and whoever is doing PR and publicity for Project Runway SA is apparently so trash-bad as to not being able to issue a basic alert to the media that there would be a Friday night lite announcement and interviews opportunity.

How really amateurish messy? On Saturday morning by 11:00 there was also no publicity image provided or available for Rahim Rawjee - the publicity material folder made available by Mzansi Magic for the press to use contained no images in the Rahim Rawjee folder.

The Project Runway format is held by the now notorious The Weinstein Company (TWC) and local licensing versions are shopped by FremantleMedia International's (FMI) FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW) division.

Reneilwe Sema, the director of local entertainment channels at M-Net, who previously said that the show will "add value and variety to our content proposition".

It's probably also going to add bad press.

Sadly Ndalo Media, Mzansi Magic and The Project Runway SA people seem to have a very huge problem properly communicating with the media or knowing how to, which doesn't bode well for Project Runway SA's media coverage: experience has shown that usually when a show looks amateurly done and starts out trash, it stays trash.

Project Runway SA already added fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee as mentor and on Friday evening announced that the TV presenter Noni Gasa who doesn't have any solid fashion background experience, will be a judge on the fashion show.

While Noni Gasa is at least well-known to TV viewers - the people who Mzansi Magic, Ndalo Media and the Project Runway SA producers expect to consume and watch the show - the same can't be said for Rahim Rawjee who was also announced as a judge.

While Noni Gasa seemingly lacks any real fashion and design experience - she does have a MBA in "Luxury Brand Management" (whatever that means) - Rahim Rawjee who attended the International Academy of Merchandising and Design, apparently launched Row-G that Ndalo and Mzansi Magic describes in a press release as "Africa’s world-renowned, made-to-measure luxury menswear brand".

While Rahim Rawjee has a design and fashion background and experience, he's however not known to TV viewers. Will that be a problem on a show where viewers are supposed to have a level of trust in the so-called judges?

Khanyi Dhlomo, Ndalo Pictures Founder and CEO, says in a prepared statement - since journos couldn't do their own Q&A - that "Noni and Rahim are the ultimate dream team for Project Runway SA. They are both highly accomplished, incredibly engaging, and their chemistry absolutely sizzles."

That of course remains to be seen.

"It is a fantastic opportunity to be part of South Africa's first Project Runway," gushes Noni Gasa, whose TV-CV include things like Big Brother Africa and The M-Net Movies Show.

"It's an honour to be able to lend my voice to an exciting new wave of talent in this country and to be able to show young minds what’s truly possible – beyond the scope and scale of anything that’s ever been done before. It makes me excited to get up in the morning."

Rahim Rawjee also has a drop-in quote. "In Project Runway, it's more about the interpretation, or the use of fabrics in a specific design. I’m more interested in what you choose to do with the cloth rather than the cloth itself."

Well, South Africa's TV critics are now more interested in whether Project Runway SA on Mzansi Magic is going to be a success or going to go flopsies than the show itself.

It's already ironic that something that is about experience and looks, appears right from the outset as if it's unable to properly manage its own appearance and image.

Fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee added to Project Runway South Africa on Mzansi Magic as mentor.

Fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee has been added as mentor for the sewing reality competition Project Runway South Africa that will start in July on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), produced by Rapid Blue productions and Ndalo Pictures.

Gert-Johan Coetzee's mentorship role on the show will be to keep the contestants to their deadlines and guiding their designs and fabric choices.

"I am utterly thrilled and honoured to be part of South Africa’s first version of Project Runway," says Gert-Johan Coetzee in a statement. "This means I will be at the forefront, helping to nurture the incredible talent we have in this country".

"The design schools may give you the knowledge and the skills, but the personal attention that comes with internships and Project Runway South Africa gives you the polish. And that's when the true stars shine."

"The competition is going to be tough, the expectations are going to be high. Don't bring anything less than your A-game!"

Ndalo Pictures founder and CEO Khanyi Dhlomo says "Mentorship is not only at the very heart of Project Runway, but at the heart of Ndalo Pictures too, so it was of utmost importance that we found the perfect mentor with all the right nuances."

"There's such an alluring sincerity about Gert. He's engaging, inspiring, passionate, boldly creative and wise beyond his years. He's the perfect fit."

Lerato Kganyago leaves Live AMP on SABC1 after just 2 years as presenter - is the 'amazing shift happening in my life' a move to pay-TV as the presenter of Project Runway SA on Mzansi Magic?

Lerato Kganyago is leaving the magazine show Live AMP on SABC1 after just two years as its presenter, with rumours in South Africa's TV biz swirling that she's leaving after being she was asked to present the upcoming Project Runway South Africa on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), wasn't allowed to do the other show and decided to leave because of that at the same time as her contract simultaneously wasn't renewed.

The 35-year old Lerato Kganyago decided to ditch SABC1's Live AMP, produced by Urban Brew Studios and currently in its 22nd season, and might very well pop up in high definition next as the presenter of Project Runway SA produced by Rapid Blue productions and Ndalo Pictures for M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel and starting in July.

Lerato Kganyago's last on-air appearance on Live AMP will be on 18 May on SABC1.

Officially Lerato Kganyago who joined Live AMP in April 2016 "resigned" - which is true - but standing differently, the mirror shows more faces.

Word on the curb is that Lerato Kganyago was approached to be the presenter and host of Project Runway SA and wanted to front that reality sewing competition as well - a paying gig that would also be her first exposure to a pay-TV audience - but for whatever reason wasn't allowed to.

She had a choice to make and allegedly decided to pursue the Project Runway SA offer anyway, at roughly the same time as her Live AMP contract ran out anyway, and then wasn't renewed.

In a statement Lerato Kganyago says "co-hosting Live AMP has been the most incredible and fulfilling ride of my entertainment career thus far. However, two years in the same spot is a little too long for a Soweto girl like me who’s always looking for a new challenge."

"I will forever be indebted to SABC1 and Urban Brew for allowing me the unparalleled opportunity to showcase my talents," said Lerato Kganyago, noting that "there's an amazing shift happening in my life" - a shift says insiders to pay-television.

In the statement the SABC said "SABC1 and Urban Brew Studios announce the departure of popular Live AMP presenter Lerato Kganyago from the show. Lerato has resigned from the show to pursue other career interests after two successful years with the show".

Live AMP producer Akhumzi Jezile says "it was an absolute pleasure watching Lerato grow with the Live AMP brand. Her love and passion for entertainment kept her grounded throughout her stay. She will no doubt make a success of anything she chooses to take on".

Zandile Nkonyeni, SABC TV head publicist said "We would like to thank her for her commitment to Live AMP and SABC1 over the years".

The SABC was asked in a media enquiry about the biz talk that Lerato Kganyago was approached to present Project Runway South Africa on Mzansi Magic and was told by the SABC that she's not allowed to do both shows.

Zandile Nkonyeni said "we unfortunately cannot comment on where she is going as we do not have knowledge of it".

M-Net was also asked if Lerato Kganyago is the presenter of Project Runway SA, with Mzansi Magic that responded and told TVwithThinus that "the presenter will be announced close to broadcast. We will share the details once we have further information".