Top 10 South African Celebrities Who Allegedly Can’t Speak English fluently
English plays a pivotal role in cross-border communication, facilitating cultural exchanges and international diplomacy. As a result, English proficiency has become a vital skill in today’s world, empowering individuals to bridge linguistic gaps, access information, and pursue opportunities.
PapaPenny and Babes Wodumo are living examples that English doesn’t pay bills #PapaPennyAhee
— tata ka Olu (@loyisogalada89) January 11, 2017
English is widely used in Africa as well, with 27 out of 54 countries claiming it as an official language
Across the continent, English proficiency remains relatively steady, with various age groups showing similar competence levels. What’s even more remarkable is the narrow gender gap; it’s among the smallest in the world, with little disparity between men and women in English proficiency at the national level.
South Africa-English Speaking Population Is 31%
- South Africa has eleven official languages, including English, Afrikaans, and Zulu. With a population exceeding 60 million as of March 2024, most natives primarily speak Zulu and Afrikaans.
- However, English serves as the preferred language for commerce and education.
- The South African economy is among Africa’s most industrialized and technologically developed economies. The major economic sectors include agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing, tourism, and transport.
- Popular corporations like General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), Vodafone Group plc (LON:VOD), and Standard Bank Group Ltd (JSE:SBK) also have a presence in the country.
- However, South Africa’s economy has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased debt servicing costs and an internal energy crisis.
Below Are The 5 Best English Speaking Countries In Africa:
| Rank | Country | Global ranking | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 9 | 605 |
| 2 | Kenya | 19 | 584 |
| 3 | Nigeria | 27 | 562 |
| 4 | Ghana | 34 | 537 |
| 5 | Uganda | 47 | 529 |
South Africa is a multicultural country with 11 official languages. English is the primary language of communication. However, some South African citizens are not fluent in English, just as they are in their native tongues.
The following is a list of the top five South African celebrities who are allegedly unable to communicate fluently in English:
Top 10 South African Celebrities Who Allegedly Can’T Speak English Fluently
This article is not intended to humiliate or condemn anyone; rather, it is intended to remind readers that ‘English is not the master of brilliance.’ When someone is unable to communicate in English, this does not automatically imply that they are stupid or incapable of success in life.
1. Babes Wodumo.
- The Gqom star, who is best known for her track ‘Hololo,’ was recently exposed on social media for speaking poor English, but this 27-year-old couldn’t care less; all she cares about is her career.
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- Babes Wodumo has stated explicitly that she is not a native English speaker and has never attended a fancy private school; therefore, she owes no one a proper English; she is a Zulu speaker and is extremely proud to be one.
- Fans backed her up on that statement and added that people should just leave her alone to speak English however she pleased.
Babes explained that she is not worried about whether the audience that side understands what she is saying because the music will impress them. She joked that she might even get to rub shoulders with big U.S stars.
“My music and dance leaves people happy‚ so I will impress them with that. Above that‚ I am a proud Zulu girl and that won’t change. Look at me now‚ I may even be chilling next to Rick Ross‚” she said.
Babes has gone through a lot of “abuse” for choosing to speak Zulu in the past and for not being “fluent” in English.
2. Makhadzi
Makhadzi believes that speaking ‘good English’ to mean you’re better is a fallacy
But they plaid shem. They foght 🫶🫶🫶🥂
— Makhadzi (@MakhadziSA) February 7, 2024
Makhadzi has often been ridiculed for speaking in ‘bad English’ but language speaking expert says this shouldn’t be the case.
She is a genuine Venda from the Limpopo province of Mashamba. According to reports, this 24-year-old admitted that she is extremely poor at English, which is why she prefers to communicate in Sotho/pedi.
This Matorokosi singer and dancer was once interviewed by another talk show host; I’m not sure what they discussed, but Makhadzi used the term ‘public relations’ instead of ‘public relations’. That was discussed on social media, but she was unconcerned.
3. Thuthuka Mthembu
Johannesburg born actress, Thuthuka Mthembu’s, big break into the entertainment industry came when she landed her role on South Africa’s most watched drama, “Uzalo” in December 2018. The 22-year-old actress said she originally had no intention of being an actress, but now that she is, she is “living her dream”.
She is best known for her portrayal of ‘Nonka’ in the SABC 1 Zulu soapie Uzalo. Several months ago, this 21-year-old was trending on social media platforms for her inability to communicate in English.
Thuthuka was accused of being a poor English speaker following a grammatical error in a Tweet. She was dragged to the point where she was forced to delete the tweet. Wow! People of Mzansi!
Uzalo actress Thuthuka Mthembu, found herself on the wrong side of Mzansi Twitter after she made a grammatical error.
Thuthuka Mthembu, who is known for her role as Nonka on Uzalo got dragged that she had to delete the tweet.
The Uzalo actress took part in the trending #IamSingleBecause challenge and it ended in tears.
The challenge requires people to give reasons why they are single and the answers range from hilarious, heartbreaking to serious.
Thuthuka Mthembu decided to throw her hat in the ring and participate in the challenge.
Apparently she got her tenses mixed up and it didn’t end well.
She used the word ‘find’ instead of ‘found’ when she tweeted
“#IamSingleBecause I haven’t find a good man.”
4. Papa Penny
Eric Kulani Giyani Nkovani (born 1962), better known by his stage names Penny Penny and Papa Penny is a South African musician and politician, known affectionately as the “Shangaan Disco King” for the musical style he helped popularise.
Papa Penny, a musician and reality star, speaks his rotten English openly and appears to be proud of it.
People mocked him on social media platforms, and his fans defended him, saying that they shouldn’t expect someone like Papa Penny to speak perfect English; instead, they should focus on his show and music and let him speak English however he pleased.
5. Sana Mchunu
She is best known for her role as ‘Zodwa’ in Mzansi Magic’s drama series Gomora. As we all know, ‘Zodwa’ is a complete disaster when it comes to English. Apparently, ‘Zodwa’ is not a native English speaker; she may conceal it, but she cannot speak proper English.
‘I won’t change for anyone’ – Penny Penny hits back at ‘broken’ English debate
The 44-year-old actress is from a poor Soweto family, and acting was not a part of her life until much later in life. Sana was never able to attend school properly because she became pregnant while still a teen. However, she later discovered her greater talent for acting, which led her to work in the industry.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE on Thursday, Penny Penny said that he was “happy and humbled” by the reception his show received, and was not concerned by the language debate.
“I am not an English man and I won’t change for anyone. I am an African man and I am proud of that. I was not born speaking English but I speak communicative English and that should be enough. People who speak to me understand me, so I don’t think it is a problem,” .
6.Zodwa Wabantu
Zodwa Wabantu is a renowned South African dancer and socialite born on 30th October 1985. She was born Zodwa Rebecca Libram in Gauteng, Soweto, South Africa.
Apparently, ‘Zodwa’ is not a native English speaker; she may conceal it, but she cannot speak proper English.
She used to work for a South African debt collection company until she quite the white-collar job to become a dancer.
- Zodwa Wabantu is a South African media personality, socialite and dancer. Wikipedia
Born: October 30, 1985 (age 38 years), Soweto, South Africa
