The Nedbank IMC has added a singular voice to its 2026 line-up: Kabelo Mabalane. Cultural icon, pastor, endurance athlete and one of South Africa’s most decorated musicians, will take the stage on 17 September 2026 at Mosaïek, Johannesburg.

In a conference built around the theme Shift Happens™. Are You Ready? few speakers embody the reality of transformation more completely. Mabalane’s life is a study in reinvention: from chart-topping kwaito star with TKZee and a solo career that produced multi-platinum success, to a man who nearly lost everything to addiction, to a pastor, bestselling author and committed endurance runner.

With ten Sama awards, more than ten Comrades Marathon finishes, and a memoir titled I Ran For My Life, Mabalane brings credibility that goes beyond celebrity. He brings perspective earned the hard way.

“Kabelo Mabalane represents the most honest kind of leadership, the kind forged in failure, faith and the relentless decision to keep going,” said Dale Hefer, CEO of the Nedbank IMC. “Our 2026 theme asks marketers if they are ready for shift. Kabelo does not just say yes. He shows what it costs, what it changes, and what becomes possible on the other side.”

Mabalane’s keynote will explore themes not often addressed with enough honesty on marketing stages: how to perform under pressure without losing yourself, how to rebuild trust after crisis, how accountability shapes culture, and how resilience becomes a leadership discipline.

His voice counts because marketers are operating in an environment that rewards visibility but punishes fragility. Brands are expected to move fast, lead with conviction and recover well when things go wrong. Mabalane’s journey speaks directly to that tension.

Through music, ministry, wellness advocacy and community work, he has built a public life that connects influence with impact. He has shared stages with global artists including Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Rihanna. Today, his strongest contribution may be in rooms where leaders are confronting difficult questions about purpose, pressure and second chances.

“Marketing is not just about campaigns,” said Mabalane. “It is about connection, trust and showing up when it is hard. I have learned that on stages, on the road, in faith communities and in the quiet work of starting again. I am honoured to bring that perspective to the Nedbank IMC.”

The Nedbank IMC 2026 will again feature a curated, not crowdsourced, speaker line-up, blending global insight with African context. Thousands of students will also attend virtually at no cost through the Youth1000 programme in partnership with Masa.

For media enquiries, interview requests with Kabelo Mabalane or organisers, and high-resolution assets, contact Ibrahim Lukombe on moc.ecnerefnoccmi@miharbi.

Africa’s biggest marketing conference, the Nedbank IMC advances marketing’s place in the boardroom and uplifts young talent across the continent. Proudly endorsed by Masa and Prisa.

To find out more, visit www.imcconference.com.