Maps Maponyane (real name: Masego Maponyane, born March 16, 1990) is a 34 year-old South African actor, model, voice over artist, TV presenter, fashion designer, speaker, creative consultant, voice over artist, philanthropist and business entrepreneur. He is best known for being GQ Best Dressed Man in 2011 and Cosmopolitan Sexiest Man in 2013.
Maps Maponyane is one of the most favorite South African media personalities and business entrepreneurs. In addition to his wide-range of career, he has worked as an assistant to Lucilla Booyzen, the founder of SA Fashion Week, as well as the host of E! channel talk show, Beyond the Red Carpet.
Summary of Maps Maponyane’s Biography
- Full name: Masego Maponyane
- Nikname: Maps
- Gender: Male
- Date of birth: 16th of March 1990
- Place of Birth: Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa
- Maps Maponyane’s Age: 34 years old
- Ethnicity: Black
- Nationality: South African
- Zodiac Sign: Pisces
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Marital Status: Unmarried
- Maps Maponyane’s Parents: Marks Maponyane and Sylvia Maponyane
- Siblings: Katlego Maponyane (older brother)
- Maps Maponyane’s Height in Inches: 6 feet 1 inch
- Maps Maponyane’s Height in Centimetres: 185 cm
- Famous for: Being GQ Best Dressed Man 2011 and Cosmopolitan Sexiest Man 2013
- Maps Maponyane’s Instagram: mmaponyane
- Twitter: mapsmaponyane
- Website: mapsmaponyane.com
Who is Maps Maponyane and How Old is He?
The media star was born Masego Maponyane on the 16th of March 1990 and he is a native of Soweto, South Africa. His father was a South African football player by the name ‘Marks Maponyane’ and he has an older brother named Katlego Maponyane. Growing up, he spent his early years in Soweto, where he completed his basic education. For his secondary education, Maps attended St. John’s College located in Johannesburg and afterward, he enrolled at Wits University where he got a bachelor’s degree in Media Studies, French and English and International Human Rights in 2012.
Maps personality is one that is loved by many, he is known to be a reputable man involved in positive activities. It was initially thought that he would follow in the footsteps of his father and play football but despite the fact that he showed a high level of skill when he was younger, he chose a different path that led him to the entertainment industry rather than the sports industry.
His Professional Career and Rise to Fame
Maps is a very talented and bright young man; he has garnered fame as a model, television presenter, actor, voice-over artist, fashion designer, media socialite, creative consultant, and entrepreneur. His career journey started in 2009 when he took a year off school; Maps started going for auditions and modeling events. He eventually landed his first modeling campaign while working as an assistant to Lucilla Booyzen, the founder of SA Fashion Week.
From there, Maps Maponyane started unleashing his top-notch skill and by 2011, he was named as GQ magazine’s Best Dressed Man. Two years later, he was named the Sexiest South African Man by the Cosmopolitan magazine. While he started getting an upshoot in his modeling career, Maps also dabbled into acting. He made his first film appearance in 2014, with a minor role in the second season of Rockville.
Later in the same year, he served as a co-host of the SABC3 reality TV competition and lifestyle series, Win a Home. 2015 was a busy year of Maps as he was one of the keynote speakers at the Tomorrow’s Leaders Convention in March. Not just that; Maponyane also starred in a lead role in the South African spoof comedy series, The Real Jozi A-Listers, along with other stars such as Da L.E.S, Tol-A$$-Mo, and Trevor Gumbi.
His big break came when he played the lead character in the South African romantic comedy film, Tell Me Sweet Something, along with Nomzamo Mbatha. The film which was released in September 2015 was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. Having generated R1 million in the five days after it was released and also got nine nominations at the 12th African Movie Academy Awards.
Since then, Maps has continued to gain momentum and has become fans favorite. He has equally appeared on several TV shows including the E! Entertainment show, Beyond the Red Carpet. He also served as a co-presenter of the South African Film and Television Award along with Bonang Matheba. More so, as a business entrepreneur, Maps Maponyane currently serves as a director in various SME’s such as Tuta-me, GM & Ahrens, J.Laurence and Niche Stream. He is also the brand ambassador for Investec Private Bank and the CEO of Mentorfeed.
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Meet Maps Maponyane’s Girlfriend & Family
Just like we mentioned earlier, Maps is the son of Marks Maponyane and his wife, Sylvia Maponyane. His father is a retired football player who played the forward position for several SA football teams. Notably, he is the all-time top goalscorer for Kaizer Chiefs. His parents got married in 1985 and their marriage produced two children, Maps and his older brother, Katlego. His brother is a snowboarder and was among the seven-year-olds selected in 1992, as part of the South African version of the Up Series.
In 2016, Maps Maponyane confirmed his relationship with Nomzamo Mbatha. Nomzamo is a South African actress who has got an Africa Movie Academy Award for her Best Actress nomination for playing “Moratiwa” in Tell Me Sweet Something. Maponyane has said of their relationship; “We have a super supportive relationship, where we’re both hustling and pushing and setting things up‚ and we’re literally best friends.”
Pregnancy rumors were sparked last year when Mbatha posted a picture of herself in a blue and white floral dress that somehow made her look big. Maponyane joined in the commentary of the pregnancy by replying that it was not his and despite Mbatha’s initial annoyance the couple seems to have scaled through the period with no real harm done.
