Renowned South African Actor Says His Debt Points to a Larger Crisis Faced By South African Artists

Actor Tony Kgoroge recently had his sleek Mercedes C300 repossessed. He has come out and spoken honestly about how the Instagram lives of South African celebrities are not as glamorous as they seem, and that this is the reality. He says that although he is a heavy-weight in the industry, even he is going through financial strain because he's not being paid his dues.

Speaking to Sunday World, Kgoroge said that he is glad that the newspaper was reporting on the story, revealing the genuine struggles that South African artists are grappling with currently. He told the paper:

''I am not ashamed to stand up and say this. Forget my Instagram and my wife's pages because this is what we face in real life. Broadcasters are repeating our shows, and we are not getting paid for that."

This is worrisome considering that the "poor creative" narrative is usually inclusive of every artist except those who have truly made it and achieved undeniable success. By all accounts, Kgoroge is one of those actors who has certainly made it, not only locally but internationally as well. He has starred in the legendary films Invictus, Hotel Rwanda, Long Walk to Freedom and Blood Diamond. As of last year, he joined the hit local soapie Imbewu: The Seed much to the delight of many South Africans.

If Kgoroge, one of our very best South African actors, is apparently knee-deep in debt, then what of the hundreds of artists in South Africa who are still trying to get their big breakthrough in the industry?