Radio, Television, Print Journalist

Mention the name Liezel van der Westhuizen and you get a mixture of responses. Wasn’t she that Idols presenter? Doesn’t she present on 94.5 kfm? Isn’t she the morning host on SABC 3’s Expresso? She’s all three and a print journalist for The Next 48 Hours.

“I love interacting on three different media platforms and being able to engage with a variety of people,” says the 32-year-old Pretoria native with a master’s in communication management who plans to tackle her PhD next year. Van der Westhuizen may be top of the VIP list, but she knows about starting at the bottom. She juggled the graveyard shift at 94.2 Jacaranda FM with a fulltime job in PR. She loves a good challenge.

She completed the Ironman in 2010 and the equally tough Dusi in 2012. But more than her tall, elegant physique and stunning beauty, it’s this strong work ethic and passion for communicating with people that makes her a true idol in so many people’s eyes.

— Cat Pritchard

Twitter: @liezelv