'Losing was not an option for me' - Kat Sinivasan takes E! The Search SA crown

Presenter Katleho Sinivasan has beat the odds to become the first winner of E! Entertainment's prestigious reality presenter search competition, The Search SA.

The 26-year-old presenter from Soweto was announced as the winner of The Search SA at a glitzy ceremony held in Sandton, Johannesburg, beating out fellow finalist Abigail Visagie.

Katleho will now take up the role of African correspondent for E! Entertainment and joins an international family that includes Zuri Hall, Jason Kennedy and Ryan Seacrest.

The presenter spoke to TshisaLIVE shortly after his win and admitted that he was shocked but not surprised at his triumph.

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"The fact that I have won still hasn't sunk in yet. I don't think it will ever sink in. This is my dream job and I have done absolutely everything I can to make it a reality. I never allowed myself to think of anything other than winning. Losing wasn't an option for me," he said.

Katleho said that he and his family made a number of "big sacrifices" in order for him to fulfill his dream of winning the competition.

"I didn't prepare myself to lose. All I could think about was how I needed to win. I put a lot on the line for this. I put my job (on another project) on hold for this, for a competition where I was never guaranteed work until this very minute.

"My mother gave up her car so that I could use it to get around. When I was scared and worried that I would lose and my whole life would be wrecked, my family was there to encourage me and help me see my talent and that it was my time to shine. We took major risks for this and I am so glad it paid off," he added.

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He dedicated his win to his mother and said that he would try his best to honour her through his work.

"When you have a single parent that you have gone through hell and back with, you will always cherish them. She has always done everything for me and I can't even begin to repay that," he said.

In addition to a year-long contract with E! Entertainment, Kat also won a trip to LA where he will rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in Hollywood.