Kethiwe Ngcobo is an accomplished South African filmmaker whose career spans the intersection of documentary filmmaking, broadcasting, television production, and film education. With over two decades of experience, she has established herself as a visionary creator committed to authentic storyte ling and nurturing new talent. Her documentary work forms the cornerstone of her artistic expression. Beginning with Donne’s Hilbrow (1997) for SABC, Kethiwe has directed and produced eight powerful documentaries exploring South African culture and social issues. Her documentary Kwaito (1998) brought South African youth culture to international audiences through a collaboration between SABC and London Weekend Television. In the early 2000s, she continued creating impactful short-form documentaries including Baby Father (1999), No Safe Place and High Hopes (both 2000). Kethiwe’s documentary Belonging (2004) marked a significant achievement with its selection at the prestigious Berlinale Film Festival. More recently, her feature documentary 1001 Days (2023) received international acclaim at Sheffield Doc Fest, earning a special mention from the youth jury, and was selected for IDFA 2023. Her documentary prowess reached new heights with Mother City (2024), which won Best African Documentary at AFFRIF 2024. Currently, she is directing another feature documentary in post-production. And She Didn’t Die her latest documentary to have its world Premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest in June 2025.
From 2004 to 2010, Kethiwe served as the inaugural Head of Drama in SABC’s Content Hub, transforming South African television drama. Under her leadership, the department garnered 120 SAFTA awards and international recognition, including nominations for two International Emmys and wins at Banff, Ros’dor, Festival de Reims, and FASPACO. As Producer and CEO of Fuzebox, a company she founded in 1997, Kethiwe has produced seven drama series comprising nearly 300 episodes. Her television productions include Dumani (1997-1999), Thetha Msawawa (2000-2004), Bubom’sana (2004), and more recent series like Thola (2014-2017), Mfolozi Street (2014-2016), Mokapelo (2015-2017), and It’s Complicated (2015-2017).
Her feature film productions include Gog’Helen (2012), Mrs Right Guy (2016), Love Lives Here (2019), and Inkabi The Hitman (2024). Throughout her career, Kethiwe has been deeply involved in script development, serving as script editor on numerous projects. She discovers writing talent, develops storylines with writers, and provides critical feedback on structure, character, themes, and tone to ensure production-ready scripts. Kethiwe’s commitment to nurturing new talent is evident in her extensive teaching and mentorship work. She serves as a guest lecturer at the University of Johannesburg and AFDA, focusing on story development and producing. Her mentorship extends to programs at Durban FilmMart, Global Girl Media, Realness Institute, Free Women Films, and Fiction Toolbox at EFM/Berlinale. She has also mentored at Cinefam and Caribbean Tales in Canada and trained documentarians at Lebone Productions Documentary Workshop. Currently, Kethiwe is developing adaptations for both feature films and series, continuing her lifelong dedication to innovative storyte ling that authentically represents South African experiences and voices.