"I am very happy to join such a young and dynamic website that enjoys impressive popularity. I know I can contribute to making ZAlebs an even stronger, more modern, and diverse brand, focussed on giving our audience what it wants," says Black.

He adds, "This is one of the very few sites that is able to actively capture the attention of a hard-to-tap-into audience. The ZAlebs audience is 90% in South Africa, over 90% black, and between the ages of 18 and 35 years old. There is a huge potential for advertisers who want to collaborate with us and engage with our audience. This is one of the largest sites in South Africa, and growth will continue."

Black joins the company after a career at several media companies, including, most recently, CNBC Africa, Provantage Media Group, and Tiso Blackstar (previously known as Times Media). Plans to expand content include music and more video, becoming active in event design and organisation, and syndication are all on Black's plate to help assess and launch.

"Our evolution has been impressive, and this is the right moment to bring Mauro into the ring as he has the work experience and attitude we need to take ZAlebs to the next level. With the engagement rates and reach we are seeing on our website, and social media channels, there is so much more potential for us, as a brand, to get involved in the topics of most interest to our audience – video, fashion, music, and events," says Zibuyile Dladla, executive editor for ZAlebs.

"At the core of our success is our amazing content team, tapping into what young, black South Africans want and fostering a close relationship with our followers. It is the popularity of our content that has made us a successful partner for MSN, and we are approached almost daily by other content networks, advertisers, and media agencies about how we can connect our hyper-engaged followers to their brands and products," adds James Cannon Boyce, one of the primary partners in ZAlebs.

Gisele Wertheim Aymes, an additional partner in the company, says, "We are very excited about the phase ZAlebs is in right now and the excitement and experience Mauro is bringing to the team. The South African media landscape has shifted dramatically in recent times, and traditional marketing and sales strategies have to be combined with more dynamic content and experience offerings. This is where ZAlebs is and will be strong."

For more information, visit www.zalebs.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.