Mandela family gets reality TV show

Johannesburg - Three of former president Nelson Mandela's grandchildren are to star in a new reality show, a member of the family announced on Thursday.

"The show will be about our lives as young, black women... We're not wearing 'I'm a Mandela' T-shirts," Swati Dlamini, granddaughter of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, told reporters in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Said her cousin Dorothy Adjoa Amuah, granddaughter of the late Evelyn Mandela: "We are exposing Africa for what it is... with a new middle class of intellectuals... contributing to the economy."

Dlamini, Amuah and Swati's older sister Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, grew up in the United States, but returned to South Africa for business and family reasons.

The show would take an unscripted look at the role of the new generation of women as mothers and career women.

"We're definitely not the African Kardashians (three US reality stars)," Amuah said.

Producer Rick Leed said the reality show would not be trash television, but would have dignity.

"They clearly have a great love (for each other). This may be part storytelling, part reality, except the story we are telling is real... it's not going to detract from the dignity of Nelson Mandela."

"This is about three women... breaking away from the (Mandela) legacy to find their own feet," said director Graeme Swanepoel.

The trio said the show may feature their cousins, but would not feature their parents and grandparents.

Dlamini-Manaway, 34, is the mother figure of the show with a 10-year-old son, a two-year-old daughter and a third child due in January.

She is involved in a family business, Mandela Dlamini Associates, and plans to launch a clothing line.

Dlamini, 32, is a single mother getting back into the career world with plans to set up a foundation focused on the housing, education and medical sectors.

Amuah, 27, is a socialite with a law degree and an MBA from Monaco. She is in the luxury brands market.

The as yet unnamed show would probably be flighted early in 2012.