Popular South African YouTuber and media personality Lasizwe Dambuza has broken his silence about a painful chapter in his life, the controversy surrounding the #R10GoesALongWay campaign from 2021, which raised R2-million for underprivileged students.
In a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), Lasizwe opened up about how the false accusations of stealing the donation money have continued to hurt him, even four years later.
4 years ago, I was dragged through the mud over claims that I stole R2 million yama Students, which was False and it’s Lies. Till this day, that accusation still haunts me. Im seeing people joking about it now, but you don’t understand the damage it caused. I’ve spent 4 years…
— Lasizwe (@lasizwe) July 23, 2025“Four years ago, I was dragged through the mud over false claims that I stole R2-million meant for students. That accusation still haunts me. I’ve spent years trying to clear my name,” he wrote.
According to Sunday World, the #R10GoesALongWay campaign was started in 2021 during the heat of the #FeesMustFall movement to help university students pay their registration fees. Lasizwe teamed up with influencers Sibu Mabena and Takkies Dinwiddy, calling on the public to donate as little as R10.
The campaign received massive support. Celebrities like Jessica Nkosi donated R10 000, Sarah Langa gave R20 000, and companies such as KFC and Standard Bank donated R50 000 and R1-million, respectively. Within just five days, the fund had grown to over R2-million.
But while the start of the campaign was inspiring, things turned sour months later when people on social media began questioning what had happened to the money. Some accused Lasizwe of using the funds for his personal lifestyle. The backlash was harsh and constant.
Also according to Sunday World, Lasizwe, however, has always maintained that the money was never handled by him. It was managed by Fundi, a well-known bursary organisation. Fundi confirmed that R2.2-million was distributed to over 480 students at accredited institutions over three years.
Some students have even come forward to say they received the money. One of them, Palesa Browniey, confirmed she was a beneficiary, and a public list of 166 recipients was released to prove it.
Despite all this, the criticism deeply affected Lasizwe. He admitted that the constant trolling made him question his desire to help others again. “I’ve spent years trying to clear my name,” he repeated. “That accusation still haunts me.”
On a lighter note, Lasizwe recently celebrated his 27th birthday on 19 July. He shared a funny video on social media doing the Nicki Minaj challenge, balancing on one leg on a Stanley cup, wearing Crocs, and holding his birthday cake.
He also shared a sweet thank you message on Instagram: “Thank you to everyone who took the time to wish me a happy birthday. I really enjoyed my birthday this year! I appreciate and love you all! Thank you!”
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