Award-winning presenter Tshego Koke has made impressive strides since he first jumped onto the scene in 2017. Since then, he has made a name for himself within the culture, hosting massive stages, and now he is gearing up for his big move, leaving his longtime home and joining Channel O.
He describes this move, coupled with the myriad of career moves that Koke knocks down daily, as an indication of growth within his career path that spans over 7 years. And more is yet to come.
“In the beginning, it was the most nerve-wracking thing to think about, but I look at the time that I had spent on MTVBase, and it felt right to take a leap of faith. I believe in myself that there is no better time than now,” he said.
We caught up with the busy star on the road to his next gig as he shared what keeps the wheels churning with inspiration, love, and wholesome life experiences.
Welcome to Tshego Koke’s world.
PS4 gaming console
I don’t play Playstation much, but whenever I feel tired, I don’t want to go out, so we decide to stay indoors. That is the first thing that I will want to do. It goes as far as me closing the curtains, closing myself in with a bowl of popcorn and soda, immersing myself in some Fifa, and just feeling like a kid again. It is one escape that I truly hold dear to my heart. I don’t play it much, but when I do, it just takes me back to that place of peace, my happy place, where nothing else matters.
iPad
My iPad is something that represents efficiency in my work, and I know that when I have it on me, I am able to do everything at once. I actually decided to buy one when I would find myself in situations where I would have to write up a script on the spot with only your phone, and there are all these details that you need to remember about sponsors and core players. On a phone, it looked so unprofessional, so I got the iPad for that, so I not only looked professional, but it was also convenient for me to do my work.
The Power of a Subconscious Mind (Book)
I make sure to read it at least once a week, and it is one book that has changed my life drastically. I got this book when I was in Grade 12, and I make sure to revisit it as often as I can. It touches on varying topics such as arguments, religion, engaging people, and even whether people should just receive you, among others.
It’s a book that talks about being able to make use of your subconscious and understanding that there is no difference between your subconscious and your conscious mind. It also made me realize that there is nothing wrong with being emotional about anything, and both states of mind work hand-in-hand.
My partner
I’ve always believed that love does a whole lot for a human being. If you thrive on love, regardless of whatever you go through, things will get better. When love is your default setting, you do everything from a place of love and are filled with love; regardless of what might be taken from you, you don’t feel like you have lost anything.
My partner is definitely someone who taught me this type of thinking: that love is literally one of those things that could actually elevate a human being.
Family (Sister and Brother)
My sister, Gabi, has not only been a manager to me but a sister who has been able to sit me down and speak to me to redirect me in life. When one gets into this industry, one can quickly be naive, thinking that they have made it and all is well, until you get the shock of your life. Gabi has been one person who has been able to guide me, advise me, and keep me balanced. She is thorough with me, and even when we do business, she’s always conducted it from a place of love and has never seen me as a cash cow. She is one of the realest people in life.
My brother, on the other hand, I just recently met. I met Bradley a couple of months ago, and it was such a fulfilling experience for me. I have grown super close to him; he is a whole lot milder than I am, but he is also young. He reminds me of me when I was around his age—early 20s—when I was also finding myself. I love knowing that I have a brother and that I love him so much.
The gym
The first thing that I always wanted to do as a kid growing up was to be a personal trainer or just own a gym. Be involved in this world one way or another, be a coach, and work in sports sciences. I remember right after high school, I couldn’t find my way in life. While my peers got it all figured out, went to varsity, and many got cars while my parents weren’t able to do those for me, the gym became my companion. While at home, I frequented the gym, reading books that spoke entirely about fitness and the health industry. I started using it as a place of healing, and that in turn built me into who I am today.
Fitness changed the situation for me, and I eventually became a personal trainer. I went through school and had people like DJ Zinhle, who helped me as one of my clients. The gym will always be the place that I hold dear to my heart.
Cape Town
Ah, I love the beach. I love Cape Town; when you are there, you completely forget about the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg. I normally go there during my birthday period, in July, so in most cases, I love going there, even if it’s just for a week or so. My partner and I love relaxing, so even when out there, we relax a lot. We’ll go out for drinks, but definitely come back and just sit. I love it around that time of the year; I love it all year round.
Nature Reserves 
I am in love with anything that connects me with nature, like the beach, and makes me forget about the world. I get to put my phone down and basically have zero worries. I love exploring nature and seeing animals because we don’t see them as much as we used to. This brings you back to a childlike place. I go as far as exploring nature by means of camping, so just being close to nature in any way does it for me.
Hosting braais with close friends
A group of friends and I have this rule that we don’t see each other for like two months, although we remain in touch over WhatsApp or calls. And then every two months, there’s a braai. That is normally at my place or at someone else’s place, but for us, Hllengi and I just love hosting. We use that time to debrief on how things are going. We create a space to talk and have fun in a mature way, while also strengthening the bond.
Golfing
Golfing was introduced to me by one of my very close friends. He’s an app developer who met one of his clients at a golf course. He enjoyed it and suggested that we should try it out. So I’m super athletic, and at first I thought it would bore me because even when you watch it, without the proper knowledge of it, it’s not as exciting. But as soon as I got onto that golf course, I experienced a thrill. It’s calm, it’s quiet, and it is such a fun sport. I now understand why a lot of the gentlemen play it and why many businessmen close a lot of businesses on the golf course.