Did our fav actress Natasha Thahane just implicate former national assembly speaker Baleka Mbete? Hmmm… One thing is for sure, she certainly admitted that she benefited from nepotism.
Yes, making it on your own is admirable, but it’s also really tough! So certainly a lot of celebs used their family connections to find success. While many call it nepotism the Blood And Water actress just called it using what you were born into.
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The actress said that she received R1 million from the government to pay for her fees… mind you that was just for one year. She emphasized that she received the funds after she cried out to Baleka Mbete. Well, in case you didn’t know the actress is actually Desmond Tutu’s granddaughter.
Natasha made these shocking revelations during her interview on MacG’s Podcast & Chill. The actress told MacG that when she went to study in the United States in 2017, she needed help paying for her studies at the New York Film Academy. Spilling all the beans she went on to say that she then “called” Baleka and asked her to assist her in obtaining funding for her studies.
Baleka, who had so much influence as a speaker of parliament and the ANC chairperson at the time, approached the department of arts to arrange the money — in excess of R1 million — for Natasha’s studies.
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“I asked Mam’ Baleka (Mbete) and was like, ‘Mama, I need to go back to school. I’ve been accepted… I don’t know what I’m going to do, can I have funds? Please arrange something for me.’ She managed to speak to (the department) Arts and Culture and they were able to help me,” she said on the podcast.
Finding it difficult to believe, well we’ve got the clip for you, listen to it just below here:
Loooool yavele yacula ingane bakit n ibabiza ngamagaama🥲🥲🥲 pic.twitter.com/poMLEY8Qw2
— Sigujana 🛡 (@Sigujana_ZA) November 26, 2021
Iyooh! Her statement wasn’t well received. A lot of social media users were angered by Natasha’s “flaunting of privilege” by sharing how “easy” it was for her to get government assistance while many others — in worse financial situations — struggled.
Natasha took to Twitter to defend herself, sharing a screenshot of emails she sent to the department that allegedly went unanswered… until Baleka intervened.
I applied for funding, no one responded. Until the school assisted me get in contact with the department.
I even emailed Barack Obama’s Foundation hoping I’d get assistance. #Natasha pic.twitter.com/fqdZLIXlYm
— Natasha Thahane (@Natasha_Thahane) November 27, 2021
Now, that didn’t make things easier for her. Most people voiced out how it was unfair for her to manipulate the system and called on the government to account for how the money made its way to the US in Natasha’s name.
Okay Woah!!
This Unathi & Sizwe Dhlomo thing can wait a bit.
The facf that Natasha Thahane says she got R1 Million to study overseas from mam Baleka Mbethe!
while we have thousands of Students who sleep with empty bursary ain’t paying this shit doesn’t sit well with… WTF!!
— ChrisExcel (@ChrisExcel102) November 26, 2021
Baleka Mbete next time she sees Natasha : pic.twitter.com/6UiSqQq2Ne
— T H U L A N I (@ramsthulani_) November 26, 2021
“mama I need to study” just like that, 1 million was given to her while thousands of students from poor backgrounds, qualifying students are struggling to get this funding which Natasha Thahane just ask for like a chappies💔
— Unarine (@phalanndwa6) November 26, 2021
I understand why people are upset about Natasha getting that 1 Million we literally have students here everyday asking for help to pay for their studies living in South Africa, if we make excuses for her we might as well stop complaining about the corruption thats happening
— 2021 AFRICA (@2021AFRICA) November 26, 2021
Mom Baleka:
Don’t say a word about the milliNatasha: pic.twitter.com/6eOk3NdIvJ
— NON-FUNGIBLE ₿ΛFO KHUMZΛ (@khumalo_zw) November 26, 2021
“mama I need to study” just like that, 1 million was given to her while thousands of students from poor backgrounds, qualifying students are struggling to get this funding which Natasha Thahane just ask for like a chappies💔
— Unarine (@phalanndwa6) November 26, 2021
Natasha sharing how she got funding is how privilege works ke guys. And for many children of these struggle stalwarts, the state is their mini purse. The rest of us will sign one million application forms, bona they go “mama, I need funding” and arts and culture comes through.
— IZWELETHU 😭✊🇿🇦 (@miss_andisa) November 27, 2021
Just a reminder Natasha doesn’t know the pain of going through the process of funding application and waiting for the response everyday, all she had to do is make a call 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/ZcbBYlqMzF
— Nomfundo Ngoca (@NgocaNomfundo) November 26, 2021
