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These are the South African celebrities who are quietly giving back through education, empowerment and charity.
Bonang Matheba and Trevor Noah speaks on stage during the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 at FNB Stadium on December 2, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Picture: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100
In a world where clout often shouts louder than action, there’s a special breed of South African celebs putting in serious work behind the scenes, no PR stunts, no big headlines.
Just pure intention, straight from the heart. These are the hood heroes we don’t hear enough about.
From Trevor Noah to Sho Madjozi, meet the stars whose real impact happens off-camera — quietly, intentionally and powerfully.
Discover their foundations and how they’re giving back to Mzansi where it matters most.
Let’s start with Trevor Noah. While most know him for cracking jokes on The Daily Show and collecting awards like it’s a hobby — Peabody, Emmys, and even a Grammy nom — what they don’t know is the real work he’s putting in back home.
Through The Trevor Noah Foundation, he’s investing in education, building libraries, providing teacher training and giving young South Africans a fighting chance.
He’s not just repping Mzansi globally; he’s reinvesting in it too.
While he’s known for global fame and comedy accolades, Trevor Noah is transforming South Africa through his Trevor Noah Foundation.
The foundation builds libraries, funds teacher training, and boosts youth access to quality education.
His new podcast, What Now? with Trevor Noah, continues to spotlight global and local voices — including Sho Madjozi — with that signature Mzansi wit.
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Owner of BNG and the face of Steve Madden, Bonang Matheba is proving, once again, that she’s more than just a style icon. Known for her bold presence and dazzling career, Queen B is now using her platform to uplift the next generation of women through education.
Her initiative, the Bonang Matheba Bursary Fund, is opening doors for young women who dream of going to university but face financial roadblocks.
This isn’t just about covering tuition – it’s about creating access, opportunity and real change.
By investing in education, Bonang is shifting the narrative.
She’s saying that young women deserve to learn, lead and build their futures without limitation.
It’s a powerful reminder that true influence goes beyond the spotlight. Through this bursary, Bonang is planting seeds that will grow into empowered graduates, future leaders, and strong community builders.
This is legacy in action – and it’s a masterclass in using success to pull others up.
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Actress and humanitarian Nomzamo Mbatha is more than a rising Hollywood star.
As a UNHCR goodwill ambassador, she helps displaced families around the world.
Back home, she’s opening doors for youth through scholarships and school-building projects — proving that fame means nothing without purpose.
Rapper and businessman, Refiloe Maele Phoolo, better known as Cassper Nyovest, might be known for dominating stages with Fill Up concerts, but offstage he’s doing the real work.
And don’t sleep on Cassper Nyovest. Beyond the flashy lifestyle and Fill Up concerts, Cassper’s been low-key donating to students, funding school fees, and even dropping gems to young artists trying to break in. He knows the grind, and he’s making sure others don’t have to hustle as blindly.
From covering school fees for underprivileged students to mentoring young artists, he’s committed to lighting the way for others.
His philanthropy may not have a headline, but it has heart.
Proudly Tsonga, singer, poet, and actress, Sho Madjozi, doesn’t just push culture forward — she lifts communities.
By partnering with NGOs and donating school supplies, she empowers rural youth in the Tsonga community to dream bigger.
Whether on stage or behind the scenes, her impact is loud even when she moves in silence.
These stories may not go viral, but they echo in every life touched. In a world chasing likes, these local stars are chasing legacy — quietly transforming kasi to kasi, and beyond.
Their fame is real, but their work? That’s where the true magic lies.
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