‘I am ashamed, I drank everything,’ says Nomahelele

Mthobeli Xhayisa, popularly known as Nomahelele, has opened up about the event that made him famous on the social media streets.

In an interview with Umhlobo Wenene on Wednesday, Nomahelele from Ngobozana in Mthatha said he got his name from his father, who used to work as a miner in Gauteng.

“When he came back home, he used to give us unusual names and gave me this name that got from the mines,” he said.

Nomahelele graced the social media streets after videos of him drunk circulated. In the videos, he was so drunk that his mother had to take him home on a wheelbarrow. Though most on social media hailed him as a hero, Nomahelele said he was embarrassed of his actions.

“I can hardly get walk out of the house. I am ashamed. I have been locking myself inside the house because I am ashamed.”

He said he was attending umgidi  –  a ceremony of welcoming young men back from initiation school.

Though he admitted to having overdone it, Nomahelele said the most contributing factor to his drunkenness was mixing different alcoholic beverages.

“I drank everything. Another thing is that we only attend such celebrations during December only and not during the year. So I thought I was privileged.”

He was the appointed injoli – the one who was responsible for distributing the alcohol to the rest of the men who were in attendance.

“They gave us expensive bottles of alcohol. The family gave me gratitude bottles to thank me for the good job I had done by distributing alcohol fairly to the men. So that’s why I was so drunk.”

He woke up at 11am the following day.

The man said he did not even remember how he got home from the ceremony.

“I only saw it on the phone, where my mother was carrying me, I do not know how I got home,” he said.

Nomahelele said he did not condone his behaviour and advised people not to mix alcoholic drinks in one sitting.

Though he was sad about the videos circulating on social media, Nomahelele said he was also a forgiving person.

“What I can tell people is that one has to look out for themselves and the alcohol intake. A person must know their limit. A person must not take advantage of a situation and drink to only be stopped by the fence. You must look after yourself and leave the ceremony once you’ve had enough.”

Nomahelele also advised people against driving when drunk.

Watch the video that made him famous:

(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde)

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