It all starts with being a religious watcher of the reality TV show.
From admiring your favourite personalities in the house to wanting to be in the house, many audition but few are chosen.
From shower hour to playing games and the Friday night parties, it all looks like a dream.
But after spending months in the Big Brother house with strangers from all over the country and sometimes another country, what then?
With auditions for Big Brother Mzansi (BBM) now officially open for everyone who’s ever wanted to experience a life free from life’s expenses to enter, Drum caught up with previous winners of the competition.
When Mandla Hlatshwayo entered, all he wanted was to just experience the house, but he instead became the last man standing, winning the grand prize in 2014.
However, he says not even the prize was his biggest takeaway as he gained something more valuable from his fellow housemates.
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“My biggest take away is the love of strangers that I didn't know before February 2014. The people I came across have loved me more than family and that's not to take a shot at my family members or anything. No matter how bad things get, you can still call on some of those people to your aid, to show up for you at different times just because they know your story, they know where you come from, and they still want to see how far you can go.”
He tells Drum that when people enter, they must be sure that they can be comfortable around strangers. Not only this, but they must also ensure that they are ready to stand their ground in everything they do and say.
While he was still in the house, chasing the grand prize, he also met the love of his life. Mandla and Lexi Van are now married, going strong with a child named Thingo.
After finding love in the house and winning an amount of R1 million, the former Sebokeng spaza show-owner stretched out his money by buying a house for his family and renovate his mother’s house.
With time though, his tap ran dry, and he hit rock bottom amid the Covid-19 pandemic which forced him to sell his house.
“I’m taking each day as it comes. So much has happened since people last saw me. I've been doing fitness professionally. I've tried to make sure that my health side of life is always up to point especially after Big Brother and seeing myself with those big boobs and that big tummy. I've tried to get my body into the shape that I think would be the one, but I've also been doing it professionally for a good three years if not more like consistently.”
Mandla is exploring different business ventures and hopes to get back into the entertainment industry as a presenter and just focus on that as he believes that he has more to offer on that front.
Just as Mandla and Lexi bagged their own reality TV show, Big Brother Africa returned with an opportunity for couples to enter the competition.
Ntombi Tshabalala and Ace Khumalo walked away with R2 million and welcomed their second child together the following year. After reports of being arrested for being in possession of drugs, the couple moved away from the limelight.
For them, it couldn’t get any better than the money and the fame that followed.
Speaking to Drum, they say the love the that they received from people all over the world was spectacular and a big win.
“Our biggest win was that it gave us a lot of confidence and it gave us the ability to knock on other doors and sit on boardroom tables. We had the chance to start our own business and to start our family. When I entered my eye was obviously on the prize, the prize was driving me crazy. Another reason [why we entered] was to entertain because I know that me and my hubby are capable of entertaining,” says Ntombi.
Ntombi also says that sleeping all day in the house is a no-no for someone who has their eye on the prize.
“I believe people should enter this season because you know the country needs a some real entertainment the country is going through a lot we need something that will take us away from our daily lives and get some sort of escape and people should enter because this is life changing and it can do a lot for you open a lot of doors for you,” Ace says.
The couple now has three kids, and both agree that being in the Big Brother house is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Even if you win or you don't but it opens doors definitely, it will open doors.”
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Not everyone gets as lucky as spending the rest of their lives with the love that flourished in the house and this was seen with Mphowabadimo’s journey.
After the experience of a lifetime, the BBM 2022 winner born Michelle Dimpho Mvundla pursued her relationship with Themba Mabaso, a fellow housemate.
However, nothing could override her biggest win from being in the house.
“My biggest takeaway from being part of BBM was the amount of Impact & resilience I have. My story will never be forgotten as I will always be the first female sangoma that won the comeback season of BBM. I won the grand prize and hearts of many gifted South African women that saw and still see themselves in me.”
More than anything, she wanted to break the stereotypes and changing the narratives around sangomas when she entered the competition.
“I stood and still stand for a cause and that means representing who I am fully without failure or being embarrassed. I embraced my gift and that is what makes me Mphowabadimo because above everything else I am a sangoma first.”
From having been a big fan because she stepped into the house, the reality TV star realised early on that being a part of the show is totally different from just watching it and her perception on life has changed ever since.
“The exposure the platform gave me, my life will never be the same. I don’t have any regrets, I live a life of purpose,” she tells Drum.
“BBM is a great platform especially for someone that is hungry for their big break or new opportunities, the platform can change your life if you are ready for change. It is a beautiful experience and teaches you a lot about yourself. If I could, I would definitely walk the experience again.”
After exploring a couple of opportunities that the competition brought her way, Mpho says that she is still trying to figure out her strengths and working on exploiting them.
She has since focused on her farming business, her spiritual life, work and music. In fact, she says she has a single dropping very soon and is excited for everyone to hear her tap into that side of her talents.
