A-LISTERS | Meet the A-listers you need to know: The Goddess Edition

Have you ever been to a lunch where you genuinely lose track of time and, before you know it, the sun has long set? Where the conversation flows easily and you leave feeling as though you’ve made new best friends?

Where everyone is turned out beautifully, the venue matches the tone (a semi-private rooftop with a view), the food is deliciously light, the staff attentive but never intrusive, and the drinks served would be the pride of any oenophile’s cellar?

Okay, I may be a little subjective, but if you ask me, that is exactly what transpired on Wednesday afternoon when I hosted the ninth annual Sunday Times A-Listers You Need to Know luncheon at Sandton Sun’s sparkling San Deck.

Any event soars or sinks based on its guest list. While last year I chose to hero the new guard, in a world rattled by toxic masculinity there is now a need for less posturing and more presence.

Cue six goddesses who embody allure rather than roar: from a songstress whose soulful depth and emotional honesty touches both ear and heart, to a social media star whose candid, unvarnished moments of everyday life are a calming antidote to AI slop; from a no-holds barred Queen of Bling who, beneath the nips and tucks, is refreshingly authentic, to a beauty powerhouse who has quietly built a loyal following for her science-driven skincare range.

Add an icon from TV’s glamour days — who I coaxed out of hiatus to remind us we should live our truth — and a beauty with the biggest smile on our TV screens, on a mission to inspire young minds.

Call it The A-Listers 2026: The Goddess Edition.

Despite the weather report warning of possible rain, it was bright and warm as I arrived on the hotel’s outside terrace, a space dubbed “Red Carpet” at the dawn of our democracy because of the sheer number of black-tie events hosted there.

At the entrance to the garden section of the San Deck, Southern Sun’s group sommelier Miguel Chan greeted me with a glass of Krone Kaaimansgat Blanc de Blancs Brut Cap Classique before I went on to meet an early arrival, 2026 A-Lister Renate Klass, the blonde serial entrepreneur behind Future this, which distributes medicosmetics, including the science-based German brand QMS — pioneers in the use of collagen and hyaluronic acid in anti-ageing formulas.

With the products enjoying cult status among beauty connoisseurs and the jet set, it felt timely to shine the spotlight on the woman helping us put our best face forward.

In walked sparkly Ayanda G Thabethe, whose name has been appearing on the hottest guest lists recently. But it was Basetsana Kumalo who really made me sit up and take notice of the SABC presenter, when the original A-Lister (Bassie featured on the very first list in 2018) sang her praises.

I introduced both to Southern Sun’s PR and comms manager Neo Mboniswa — who returned from leave to help arrange the lunch — before catching up with the hotel’s GM, Robert Jasper, and food & bev manager Trevor Wolverson.

All this as we enjoyed welcome canapes from head chef Oupa Radebe and his team: mini toasted brioche with mushrooms and labneh, and crispy duck with sesame and orange tuile on a wafer.

Singer Thabsie during the A-Lister luncheon hosted at the San Deck at Sandton Sun. (Masi Losi) (MASI LOSI)

Regal in purple is Bathabise Biyela, the singer-songwriter better known as Thabsie, who is set for a big year — her EP drops in the month of love.

When that blast from the past, Faye Peters, swept into the room looking like Aphrodite, her hair large and proud, it felt as though we’d rewound to the turn of the millennium, when she enthralled us as Vivian Majozi in Generations. The energy shifted up a notch.

And when the actress — last seen on our screens more than a decade ago — tells how she landed the iconic role (with just R13 in the bank but enough chutzpah to negotiate a longer contract than the one offered), every one of us hung on her every word.

In fact, even Khanyi Mbau, fresh back from Dubai, didn’t interrupt.

Now, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask the Queen of Bling why she’s back in the country after spending five years in the UAE with her most recent squeeze, Zimbabwean businessman Kudzai Mushonga.

“I am back to nurse my broken heart,” shared the actress and socialite, who is set to appear in two productions on a major US streaming service this year.

Rounding out the list was Sydney Seethal, whose TikTok videos kept me glued to my smartphone screen over the holidays (yes, I’m one of the 1.1-million viewers who watched her declutter her bedroom). Younger sis to musical superstar Tyla, Sydney is landing campaigns around the world on the back of her infectious brand of nonchalant cool.

On to the nosh — and we were in for a three-course feast paired with the finest local and international wines. Starters included a choice of soy-glazed tuna with Asian salad drizzled in lemongrass dressing, baba ghanoush served with a sour cream and dill emulsion, or an oxtail terrine with blackened eggplant and caramelised onion.

For mains, I opted for the grilled salmon with a light pea risotto, seasonal veg and a creamy fennel and miso sauce. To my left, Ayanda relished the wagyu sirloin with asparagus, Pommes Anna potatoes, tomato prepared three ways, and an Asian-style jus.

No feast without dessert, and the final choice was between a Greek yoghurt crémeux, coconut cheesecake or dark chocolate mousse.

Chef’s kiss!

PS: A special thank you to butler Mduduzi Maphanga — and waiters Mdududzi and Thedza — for the impeccable service.

The Goddesses

Khanyi Mbau

Back in Mzansi after a hiatus in Dubai, she has had almost as many high-profile romances as high profile gigs, starting with her breakthrough role as Doobsie in Muvhango.

Over lunch, she confided that businessman Theunis Crous was the true love of her life.

Faye Peters

Her big hair energy as Vivian Majozi inspired many young girls to celebrate their natural locks (and her character is said to have inspired Sho Madjozi’s name).

Renate Klass

MD of Futurethis, she swapped the boardroom for beauty with a scientific edge, which has gained a cult following.

Thabsie

With her new single, Again, enthralling fans of her brand of neo-soul meets Afro R&B, there is much anticipation for the launch of her new EP, scheduled for February.

Ayanda G Thabethe

Boasting a BSc in dietetics and human nutrition, Ayanda is more than a pretty face. The Afternoon Express presenter is also on a mission to inspire youth through her Crown Confidence initiative.