After landing her role as Top Billing presenter…

Bassie got the idea to pitch to make Top Billing an independent production, instead of being produced by SABC 3. She approached the then CEO of SABC, Zwelake Sisulu with her idea. Basetsana ended up successfully negotiated a six month contract to produce Top Billing under her own production company: Tswelopele Productions!  

A tough learning curve would then follow as Bassie and her team no-longer had the budget of the SABC to produce the show and had to cover all the expenses associated with producing a show like Top Billing, from staff to organizing their own sets. A challenge that Bassie was more than up too as Top billing is still one of SABC’s top performing shows.

4 years later Union Alliance Media merged with Tswelopele Productions, earning the company a JSE listing effectively making Basetsana Kumalo the youngest black woman director to be a part of mainstream business in the South African economy.

With Top Billing a successful venture Bassie turned her sites on other opportunities