Cape Town – South African actress and media personality Natasha Thahane has made a U-turn on claims that she allegedly received R1 million worth of 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.
Thahane recently caused havoc when she revealed that she received a whooping R1 million from the government.
Speaking on MacG’s Podcast & Chill Natasha said: “I needed funding, I called Gcinwa and Russells, they helped me and then I went to Mam’ Baleka, she was still the chairperson of parliament then. I’m like Mama I need to go and study… I think the entire year was a million-plus but there’s was still food and all of these things. I was like mama I need to go back to school I’ve been accepted, I didn’t sign my second year at the Queen, so I don’t know how I’m gonna do, can I please have funds, she (Mbethe) managed to speak to Arts and Culture and then they gave me funding but I only asked for funding for one semester because I was scared to ask for the whole year.”
Politicians and citizens criticised Thahane and the government for this.
Clearing the air, Natasha took to her socials to release an official statement, saying that she did not receive the funds from the government and Mbete.
In fact, she said, she only received an amount of R350 000 from the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.
Thahane further apologised to Mbete and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.
“I did not receive R1 million from Baleka Mbete or the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. If you listen to the interview you’ll realise I was taken out of context. Before I even go through the process, I would prefusly like to apologise to Ma’Baleka Mbete and the department of Sprts, Arts and Culture because when I watch back the interview, I listen and I realise that I spoke about her as if we have a personal relationship, which is not the case.”
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“She was at the meeting, I was in the building and then I approached her and then I stated that I’ve been accepted to go study in Ney York Film Academy and is there any advice you could give me regarding funding. She then advised me to explore the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture because they have funding opportunities.”
“That was my first conversation and my last conversation with her. she did not make any call on my behalf. She did not send any emails on my behalf and I apologise for diluting the whole scenario because now it made it seem like I had a personal relationship with her, which is not the case,” said Natasha in one video.
Listen to Natasha’s full statement here:
— Natasha Thahane (@Natasha_Thahane) November 30, 2021
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Picture: Twitter/@Natasha_Thahane
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
