So, for the past few weeks, I’ve been watching something weird unfold on social media — and honestly, it’s giving reality show with no budget. Celebrities — yes, actual public figures, people with fanbases, awards, blue ticks (or should I say formerly blue-ticked) — are out here asking for donations. Like, full-on “please help me” mode.
And not just once. It’s starting to feel like a trend. Every time I log on, there’s another well-known face asking the public to fund their lifestyle, health bills, or “emergencies.” And what’s shocking is, some of these people? I grew up watching them. Talented, booked, and busy. So now I’m like: What went wrong?
Let’s take Zahara — the queen with a guitar and a voice that could silence a room. Awards? She had them. Radio play? Non-stop. She wasn’t just rich, she was respected. And then suddenly... boom. Headlines about eviction and fundraising. It's like these celebs jump from the red carpet straight into our DMs with bank details.
And now, Mamzobe from Umkhokha is trending because apparently, she’s asking for donations too. Again, this is someone with a regular acting gig. Like... don’t they get paid for those emotional stares and dramatic pauses? Or is the money just disappearing as fast as those season finales?
I’m not here to judge their hearts — maybe they were generous when they had it. Maybe they helped others behind the scenes. I don’t know their personal lives, I only know their online presence. But what I do know is this: something's not adding up.
How are celebrities — people who earn in 30 minutes what some of us are hustling for in a month — ending up broke on social media asking us, the unemployed and job-seeking masses, for financial help? I’m sorry but that’s wild. I’m still waiting for a job offer and y’all want me to send R50 to someone who once had a whole music video budget?
What’s more worrying is that it's happening more often. It’s not just Zahara or Mamzobe. South African celebs keep popping up, hands out, like we’re the official SASSA department for the entertainment industry. No shame, no strategy, just vibes.
And to be honest, it’s annoying. Because it’s starting to feel like entitlement. Like regular people must always be the safety net. But where was the budget plan when the gigs were rolling in? Why does it always end in "help me" instead of "here’s how I’ve planned for rainy days"?
It’s not even about being heartless — it’s about being tired. Tired of people who had more opportunities than most, now wanting the public to carry the load they couldn’t manage. It's giving "I blew the bag, now you fix it."
To my fellow hustlers, my job seekers, my budget masters and part-time dreamers — we’re not the problem. We’re just trying to make it. And donating to celebrities shouldn’t be part of the struggle.
Let’s normalize holding celebs accountable for managing their money. Let’s stop romanticizing “donate to save your fave” posts. And most importantly: let’s stop acting like fame equals financial intelligence.
Because at this point? We need to keep our coins. We’re not SASSA. We’re just tired.
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