“We Couldn’t Pay Our Rent”

E.tv Scandal! Actress Gcina Nkosi opened up to Tshisa Live about the pandemic as affected her income. The star said that during the first lockdown she couldn’t earn any money since her contract was no work no pay.

“There were days when I remember the first shutdown: We didn’t shoot, we didn’t work. We have made contracts whereby no work = no pay. We suffered a lot. We couldn’t do anything because we weren’t working, we couldn’t pay our rent, our lease and all those things,” she told the publication.

About a month ago, legendary singer Thandiswa Mazwai also opened up about how this pandemic has affected her livelihood.

“This pandemic has left many of us with no hope, no joy, no drive to do any of the things we used to love doing,” she posted.

“I wish I could tell you how I’m really feeling but Kings apparently don’t cry, famous people have no right to moan and most importantly my daughter is on here. Mamas don’t cry either! So angazi!”

Last weekend she delved more into her current situation. She has incurred a lot of personal losses. The lockdown has forced her to confront a lot of old pains.

She, however, chooses to look at a new beginning with new possibilities.

“Rejuvenate. It has been hard for me. A lot of personal losses, old wounds reopened and what we would call ifu elimnyama, maru ka Sesotho have been hanging over so many of us.

“With lockdown, we have been forced to look only at ourselves and the worlds we have created around us. Confronting what seemed insurmountable pains. But on some days, like this one, I choose to believe I am at the beginning of a new chapter not wrapped up in an old trauma.” She said.

Thandiswa is now in a different space and is allowing herself to enjoy life.

“This is the beginning. So I give myself permission to indulge in good wine, good food, a good book, and a little tropical breeze. I give myself permission to unwind, loosen up ndinabe. It has been good. I feel a newness, a future self.”

The pandemic hasn’t been bad for all creators as we’ve seen an increase in the number of people consuming content on YouTube. Mac G has seen an increase in the number of his subscribers and the people who consume his content.

“No topic is off-limits, from the deeply personal (battling illness, life in prison, childhood traumas), to fame, politics and navigating media scandals. The conversations are so honest and raw that the viewer sometimes feels as though they are eavesdropping on private chats between close friends, a sign of interviewing done right,” read a press release from Channel 0 announcing the partnership.

“We love giving our viewers content that is relevant, relatable and topical, and Podcast and Chill with MacG is exactly that. The interviews are always candid, interesting and impossible to ignore. The chemistry between MacG and his guests makes for great television and we’re thrilled to have them join Channel O,” added M-Net Director of Local Entertainment Channels, Nomsa Philiso.