Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has come to the aid of veteran actress Nandi Nyembe, offering financial assistance from his own pockets.
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The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has come to the aid of veteran actress Nandi Nyembe, opening his own pockets to help ease the actress’s financial burden.
Nyembe, recognised for her work on the sports drama “Zone 14” and the Showmax drama series “Adulting”, opened up about her financial struggles in a video that went viral on Wednesday, leaving many South Africans moved by her sad state.
In the video, the actress bravely shared details of her struggles, revealing the dire financial situation she finds herself in after spending her savings on her son’s hospital bills and not booking acting jobs.
Initially, Nyembe clarified that she was not asking for handouts because she does not like it when people pity her.
Despite that, her courageous disclosure sparked an outpouring of support from fans and fellow South Africans, who were deeply moved by her story, including McKenzie.
The minister has reached out to the actress, offering to donate money from his pocket to help relieve her financial struggles.
The video posted on his X account was captioned: “We will fix the plight of our artists, we are hard at work already, this is the dying days of suffering of our creatives.”
McKenzie is seen video calling the actress to inform her of his decision, and even asks for her bank details to facilitate the transfer.
He further promised to visit Nyembe upon his return from Cape Town to ensure that she receives the necessary support and assistance to get back on her feet financially.
Netizens applauded McKenzie for his generosity and kindness, thanking him for stepping up.
X user @Its_Lifestyle7 commented: “UMUNTU UMUNTU NGABANTU! Thank you Honourable Minister @GaytonMcK for your humanity. God bless you!”
And @syntuli commented: “Thank you so much Minister @GaytonMcK for your prompt response. This is Ubuntu. Keep it up!!! We need a long-term model to support legends. Well done, Minister 👏.”
While @peacenationone applauded the minister for his kindness, highlighting that he should help to regulate the dysfunctionality within the entertainment industry in order to avoid these situations from recurring.