DJ Zinhle: Finding Balance

Ntombezinhle Jiyane, more famously known as DJ Zinhle, is on a treadmill. As an award-winning DJ, an entrepreneur with perfectly manicured fingers in many pies, a mom to two daughters – Kairo, 7, and Asante, 1 – a media personality and woman about town, she is constantly on the run.

“There’s always so much happening in my life, whether personal or business; somehow those two worlds balance each other out,” she says.

But she’s also aware she can’t neglect herself, and that means scheduled downtime – only possible with a great support structure and loads of mental compartmentalisation. “I work with an incredible team in both areas who allow me to be who I need to be in each specific role and moment. So when I need to be DJ Zinhle, that’s all I am in that moment. When I need to be a mom to Kairo and Asante, that’s all I am,” she says.

It’s taken a while, but, over the years, she’s learned how to “balance” it all, she says. This involves checking in with herself and taking her emotional pulse. “Having me-time is important when it comes to self-care. I make a point of being in the moment and relaxing – usually while organising my closet, taking time over my night-time skincare routine and sometimes, just doing nothing and watching a show on TV.”

On occasion, she has time to invite her friends to visit – “they’re funny, they make me laugh for hours and that’s always good for me” – but that’s typically after a whirlwind of a day. She’s CEO of Boulevard Nectar Rose after first acquiring equity in the international sparkling wine beverage – “if you can sparkle in the entertainment world, chances are you can bring the same spirit to the boardroom …” – and then there’s Era, a “timeless” fashion accessory brand she founded that started off selling timepieces, but has expanded to other accessories. DJ Zinhle says that selling timepieces and sunglasses represents time and vision. “This process has taught me to be optimistic about my future.”

It’s become an important part of how she has built herself up – she’s aware of her brand and being in touch with her wants. As she says: “Women are too apologetic about wanting to make money.”

Business is about overcoming hurdles, she says. “I think the secret to a great business is to fail, find a solution to fix the problem and do it better. It’s the only way to learn. That’s what’s helped me become better at what I do every day.”

There have been emotional hurdles too, including the well-publicised separation from Kairo’s father, hip-hop artist AKA. She kept moving. The surprise pregnancy with new-love Bongani “Murdah Bongz” Mohosana led to a reality show, The Unexpected, where she documented breaking the news to her family and friends.

She says it helps to begin her hectic work days with an intense physical all-body workout. “It gets my day started on the right note, and I find it brings me so much peace.

“I also try my best to eat clean food as much as possible, but with my friends, it’s sometimes not that easy!”

She says she makes sure to always have a “variety of fruits in the fridge as well as cold water to keep me hydrated and going through the day”.

DJ Zinhle says she is 100 per cent dedicated to her spiritual health, and often turns to her relationship with God for strength. “That’s how I can justify my success. Believing in something greater carries me.

“And, of course, as a DJ for the past 17 years, music plays a massive role in my life.” She says it’s integral to her emotional health. “It’s my focus and it helps me remove myself from everything else happening in my life, the struggles and the challenges. So while I’m a house DJ, my love for different genres goes deep. On Sundays, it’s RnB soul music day.”

But nobody’s perfect: “The snack cupboard at my house is my health downfall – it’s the milk chocolates … they’re my weakness.”