Nomzamo Mbatha, a media personality and actress, is making headlines again, this time for sparking controversy during her presence at the famous Gates Foundation’s Goal Keepers event in New York City.
While introducing herself to a global audience, Nomzamo referred to her homeland, Durban, as a “small town”—a comment that sparked outrage on social media.
During the event, which focused on solutions to global concerns such as sustainable nutrition, Nomzamo said, “My name is Nomzamo Mbatha, and I come from a small town in South Africa called Durban.” I won’t elaborate on who we are, but I believe a cup of soup best depicts me.
This comment sparked outrage among South African social media users, who pointed out that Durban is far from a little town.
Durban, known for its dynamic culture, diversified population, and standing as a major tourism destination, is frequently recognized as “the place to be” by locals and visitors. Tourism Update ranks the city as the 87th greatest in the world.
As the video of her statement went viral, users on X (formerly Twitter) expressed their disappointment. @uuniversalmusic tweeted, “Nomzamo Mbatha referred Durban as a ‘small town’ despite the place being ranked as the 87th best city in the world… This is what happens when Actors/Actresses go Hollywood, they are neutered!! She’s talking down on South Africa to keep her contract!”
Another user, @PalesaMogorosi_, weighed in, “You will never find Tyla undermining Johannesburg—even on a bad day. She doesn’t undersell her background and will never reduce herself to an inferior position just to assimilate and be ‘humble’.”
However, not everyone was critical. Some came to Nomzamo’s defense, suggesting that it may have been a slip of the tongue. User @iamziyar commented, “She is from a small town IN Durban. Why are South African social media users so toxic? Nomzamo knows that Durban is not a small town & she is not from Durban, she just made a mistake but because you are jealous of her success you want to crucify her. Sies man. May you remain poor.”
