Landiwe Gama and Zama Marubelela tell it like it is

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Taking inspiration from Drum magazine's iconic Sis Dolly column, Landiwe Gama and Zama Marubelela have turned candid big-sister advice into their hit podcast…

One of the most memorable and important columns to come out of South Africa was Sis Dolly in Drum magazine. The column was a space for black South Africans to write and share some of the most intimate, and sometimes taboo, situations they were going through. Many of us, as young as we were, would read that column in secret, only to go to school and discuss that week’s dilemma with our peers.

The stories were impactful, but it was Sis Dolly’s no-nonsense responses that made the columns what they were. Yes, there were moments when she showed compassion and offered her heart but there were other responses where she would tell the writers off. She had a way of telling people what they needed to hear, even when it was not necessarily what they wanted to hear. What a special product!

My sister suggested a podcast to me: Because We Said So. The format was so familiar that it reminded me of Sis Dolly.

It brought back that feeling of having a conversation with your big sisters, where you could share embarrassing experiences, ask questions and most importantly, receive an honest response.

Spearheaded by Landiwe “Landzy” Gama and Zama Marubelela, Because We Said So is a platform where people write in with their dilemmas and the two hosts offer advice, sometimes with a little sting because they are not afraid to tell it as it is. From the moment the show begins, they put on their big sister hats and offer the hard, honest truth.

How did the two women, who have turned their friendship into a growing digital platform, find each other?

Their friendship did not take off immediately. As they continued crossing paths at events, they gradually found themselves spending more time together. Their conversations eventually sparked the idea that a podcast could be the perfect platform to share the kind of discussions they were having privately.

For Gama, the idea was partly informed by the kind of guidance they wished they had received when they were younger.

Although dilemmas are central to the…

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