Actress Natasha Thahane has finally cleared the air on claims she made this week that saw her top the trends list on social media.
ACTRESS Natasha Thahane has finally cleared the air on claims she made this week that saw her top the trends list on social media.
In an interview on “Podcast and Chill with MacG”, Natasha claimed that she received funds from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture towards her studies at the New York Film Academy with the help of politician Baleka Mbete.
“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 gave me funding,” Thahane said.
Her claims caused an uproar on social media with One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane demanding answers from the actress and government.
Now, in a video she posted on her social media accounts, the actress apologised to the former deputy president and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture for alluding to having a personal relationship with them and claimed that her words were taken out of context.
“I did not receive R1 million from Mam Baleka Mbethe or the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture,” she said.
Natasha said she approached the politician for advice about funding options when they were in the same building after she had been accepted by the New York film school.
“She then advised me to explore the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture because they have got funding opportunities. That was my first conversation and my last conversation with her.
“She did not make any calls on my behalf and did not send any e-mails on my behalf and I apologise for diluting the entire scenario because I made it seem like I had a personal relationship with her.”
The “Blood & Water” star went on to say that after her funding application was approved by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture she only received R350,000 for her first semester towards her tuition.
She said she also got help from a family member for the rest of her tuition.
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However, many social media users were not happy with her explanation with many tweeps mentioning that there are holes in her story.
