Nandi Nyembe, a 74-year-old South African acting legend with 53 years in the industry, has seen it all, from the lean days of apartheid-era television to today’s streaming boom.
Known for roles in Soul City and Yizo Yizo, her career is a testament to passion and resilience. Yet, her recent candid reflections reveal a stark financial reality: even a celebrated career doesn’t guarantee stability.
Nyembe’s story is a powerful case study in personal finance, highlighting the need for planning.
Feast and famine
Nyembe describes a career of feast and famine. “A contract might run 3 to 6 months,” she says, “and that money has to last through dry spells sometimes two years without a gig.”
This irregular income, coupled with low pay “R350 for Soul City days”, left little room for savings. Her health struggles amplify the issue. A R500,000 operation forced her into public healthcare, as medical aid was unaffordable without steady earnings.
“It is not about failing to save,” she insists. “It is about surviving.”
Her experience mirrors a universal truth: unpredictable income demands a robust financial strategy.
A passive income could help
“Our shows get sold off, and we see zilch” meant no passive income to cushion lean times.
Personal finance experts advocate for an emergency fund covering 3-6 months of expenses, a goal Nyembe couldn’t reach with patchy pay cheques. Starting small, even R50 a month, can build a buffer over time. A lesson for anyone, artist or not.
She laments the industry’s focus on youth, where “follower count” trumps experience, sidelining veterans like her.
For young actors, she advises, “Save every cent you can, and push hard.” This applies broadly: side hustles or skill-building can offset income gaps.
The bill is for your account
The lack of industry support stings most. “If you get hurt on set, the bill’s all yours,” she says, recalling a freezing How to Ruin Christmas shoot that left her ill, with no aid beyond flowers.
She proposes stipends or benefits for veteran that could ease the burden. Until then, her story urges individuals to prioritise health insurance, even a basic plan, to avoid future dilemma’s such as hers when she had to part with all her savings to save her son.
Nyembe’s love for acting shines through, the bug bit her hard but passion alone does not pay the bills.
Her advice to brace for a “brutal” industry resonates beyond the arts: “Plan for the worst, diversify your income, and advocate for yourself.”
At 74, she’s still fighting, a reminder that financial security is not a given, it is built, step by gritty step.
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