US-based Nara Smith recently posted a video of herself on TikTok preparing rice noodles, just a day after South African-based Onezwa Mbola did Biang Biang noodles.
Social media foodies who follow both content creators spotted the similarities and spoke with a sense of vindication for Mbola.
In June this year, Mbola accused Smith of stealing her content ideas after she noticed eerily similarities between the content posted by Smith, just a short while after she had posted hers.
Though some believed Mbola’s claim and agreed with her, the former MasterChef SA contestant faced criticism from Smith supporters. Some reminded Mbola of how there was no original content online.
Just under a month after the saga that left Mbola defending her statement, Smith has posted another video that closely resembles Mbola’s content.
@onezwambola Biang biang noodles with antelope steak. Hand pulled noodles are such a treat 🥺🫰🏾 #fyp #rurallife #ezilalini #farmlife #Homegrown ♬ original sound – Onezwa Mbola
@naraazizasmith this would be my death row meal… #easyrecipe #homecooking #dinnerideas #fypツ #thaifood #foodideas #dessert ♬ La vie en rose (Cover Edith Piaf) – 田东昱
Mbola has previously expressed her discomfort with how Smith’s content closely resembles hers, with a few tweaks here and there.
ALSO READ: Onezwa Mbola: “It’s not recipes that I’m talking about; it’s a pattern of stealing ideas”
In June Mbola posted a video of herself in her Instagram reels explaining how Smith has been stealing her content ideas and posting them as hers and how that has left her heartbroken.
“I specifically mentioned that I’m not the first person to do anything and I understand that. It is not recipes that I’m talking about, it is a pattern of stealing ideas,” Mbola told The Citizen at the time.
“I’m literally making recipes so that people can recreate them. That’s fine. But the issue is not recreating recipes, it’s literally duplicating my content, my content style and then profiting from it without crediting me.”
Mbola said she first noticed the alleged stealing of her content late last year but didn’t say much but last week’s videos were prompted after she had made her own version of a boba tea which Smith also made a day later.
“When I started content creation it was and has never been about the money because I don’t reach out to brands, I’ve only recently started collaborating with brands,” said the former marine navigator.
“It took me a very long time to collaborate with brands because also, I’m very particular about my own brand.”
Smith is a Lesotho-German fashion model who was born in Bloemfontein.
Following Mbola’s complaints, Smith has issued a letter to Mbola, demanding a public retraction of what she calls “entirely false” allegations.
NOW READ: ‘Retract your statements’ – Nara Smith threatens legal action against Onezwa Mbola
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