Fame doesn’t come with fortune. One can be a famous celebrity but be very broke. On 15 May 2020, AKA tweeted,’ Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise…I am broke. Very very broke. I don’t have any money…at all. Thanks’ He went on to tweet ‘Not wishing anything. This is my reality. I’m struggling right now. I barely have petrol money’
These tweets started a crazy confession thread where celebrities like Casper Nyovest were saying that they are broke. DJ Zinhle and Dj Fresh complained that it’s been 3 months and 4 months respectively without being paid.
This has led this author to compile a list of South African celebrities who, are not as rich as the world would like to think.
Teko Modise
The talented footballer declared bankruptcy in 2014. He could not pay his loans or pay for his cars. Many fans commented that it was his faulty for trying to live a flashy life that he could not afford.
Dineo Ranaka
The fans of this presenter’s first impression of her reality show Dineo“s diary when it kicked off is that she may not be as rich as people would like to think.
Celebrities who died broke
Brenda Fassie
Who doesn’t know of the Afropop singer who was called the Queen of African Pop? When Brenda Fassie died in 2004 her son was said to have inherited a large sum of money but to everyone’s surprise, he was struggling. Being a drug addict, it can only make sense that she was broke at the time of her death. After a very long legal battle, her family paid out the money she earned in her career.
Lundi Tyamara
Lundi who passed on in January was both broke and homeless when he died. The singer was evicted by his landlord from the house he was renting and sent a WhatsApp message to a friend begging her for 950rand to rent storage space for his stuff. The singer who sold millions of songs across the world gave new meaning to famous but broke celebrities.
Pro Kid
The rapper whose real name was Linda Mkhize died in his girlfriend Mandisa Mbanjwa’s arms. He was suffering from a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. He was so broke that the government helped with his funeral arrangements.