The Relebogile Mabotja Podcast #49 – Devi Sankaree Govender: It's Difficult To Age On Television

In this episode, I sit down with award-winning investigative journalist Devi Sankaree Govender.

Best known for her 18-year tenure chasing down criminals on Carte Blanche and now hosting The Devi Show, Devi reflects on her bold journey from freelance radio in Durban to becoming a media powerhouse in Johannesburg.

She candidly discusses the risks of leaving a legacy show to build her own brand, the reality of the "gig economy" in media, and how she balances her hard-hitting on-screen persona with her true self.

She opens up about her unique parenting journey raising a professional golfer daughter and an academic son, navigating the cultural nuances of her Indian heritage, and her spiritual philosophy that bridges her Hindu roots with a universalist worldview.

Devi shares a raw and vulnerable look into her personal life, discussing the deep grief of losing her mother to breast cancer and the emotional complexities of caring for a father with advanced dementia. She speaks on the difficult decisions adult children face when parenting their parents and the resilience required to keep showing up when your personal world is crumbling.

With her trademark wit and no-nonsense attitude, Devi proves that you can be a fearless crusader for the truth while remaining deeply grounded in spirituality and family.

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02:15 Growing Up Hindu in a Catholic School
06:40 Parenting a Pro Golfer & An Academic
12:20 Moving from Durban to Joburg
19:10 Why I Left Carte Blanche After 18 Years
24:30 Losing Mom & Launching a New Show Simultaneously
28:45 The Hard Reality of Caring for a Parent with Dementia
36:10 How Devi Decompresses: Yoga, Sound Baths & "The Tree."
40:30 Aging on Screen & Refusing to Retire
43:20 Soul Cards & Final Thoughts