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IOL News
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Beyond the spotlight: Ntobeko Sishi's candid confession on rejection's silent struggles
He recounted losing his mother at the age of six in a TikTok snippet. Image: Instagram We don't always know what battles the person next to us is fighting. There's a quiet kind of pain that often goes unnoticed. It doesn't scream, it doesn't ask for help it simply sits beneath the surface. And too often, we carry it with us, pretending it doesn't hurt. A viral interview featuring South African actor and musician Ntobeko Sishi recently cracked open this silence. Known for his breakout role as Ntokozo in the hit drama "Gomora", Sishi shared a raw, deeply personal story of loss, rejection, and ultimately, forgiveness. His words not only moved thousands online but also unearthed a universal truth: sometimes, we are grieving people who are still alive. 'Rejection has been a huge part of my life … and trying to make it have less of a negative impact on me has been the biggest challenge,' Sishi confessed on "The Inside Show" podcast with George Avakian. In a TikTok snippet, he relays how he lost his mother at just six years old. What followed was a painful twist: just four years later, his father, his only remaining parent disowned him. At 10, he found himself alone at Durban airport, unsure of where he belonged. That kind of abandonment, he said, never really leaves you. This experience is far from uncommon. The pain of emotional abandonment. While we often discuss the grief that follows physical death, the emotional toll of being rejected especially by family is less understood but equally devastating. A 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology highlights that social support is a critical buffer against the negative impacts of grief and rejection. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading But what happens when that support is missing? Or when family the people we're told to rely on are the very source of our wounds? Rejection by a caregiver can result in long-term impacts on a person's self-esteem, attachment style, and ability to trust others. And yet, this form of grief is rarely named or acknowledged. We don't talk enough about when your own blood wants nothing to do with you. The truth is that many people silently endure this type of emotional exile. And they carry it with grace as if it never happened. He recalled: 'My mother always told me, 'it's okay to cry at night. But when the sun rises, put on a smile and walk with grace'. Your pain doesn't need to be worn on your face.' But sometimes, silence is heavy. Sometimes, it needs a voice. Grieving the livingThere's a name for this: ambiguous loss. Coined by family therapist Dr Pauline Boss, it refers to a type of grief that lacks closure. It's what you feel when a loved one is physically present but emotionally absent, or, in Sishi's case, when they've walked away entirely. 'You wrestle with these things for the rest of your life, there was me constantly trying to fit in, …oh you not wanted here, okay, let me go here, no you're not wanted here but now I'm at a place like I'm actually not wanted anywhere I'm gonna go where I want to be.' Unlike death, where society offers rituals like funerals and mourning periods, ambiguous loss is often invalidated. People may say, 'But they're still alive,' as if that erases the pain. But studies show that unresolved grief from emotional estrangement can be just as intense if not more than traditional mourning. Why forgiveness is not about forgetting In 2020, Sishi received a message from a stranger claiming their father was in the hospital. Against all odds, he went. And there, standing at his father's hospital bed, Sishi did something remarkable: he chose forgiveness. 'As angry as I was, I couldn't say anything. He was on life support … So I just forgave him,' he said. Netizens praised Sishi for dealing with a difficult situation in a mature and mature manner @Oratile, wrote, "Every day, it becomes apparent that everyone has a story." @Kay Mpete added, "And he played a role where he had loving parents, I can only imagine what that was like emotionally and mentally 💔." @Thickleeyonce wrote: "Ugh man this made me cry 🥺🥺🥺." @Lebogang added: "Oh sishii 💔😭😭😭I literally cried when you said 'rejection has been a huge part of my life'." @Omphimetse Senokwane added: "Parents don't know how much they destroyed us. My parents made me a mess of a human; they are not here, and I have so many questions." Forgiveness is for you, not the other person. It doesn't mean reconciliation. It means choosing peace over pain. And peace is a powerful healer.
Daily Maverick
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Why Web3 is the career path Africa didn't see coming
For years, Africa's most ambitious youth were told success meant becoming a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. Traditional careers were seen as the only reliable path to upward mobility. But today, a quiet revolution is underway, not in boardrooms, but on the blockchain. This is more than a shift in technology; it's a transformation in how we work. Web3 is no longer a fringe concept; it's fast becoming one of the most exciting career opportunities for young Africans. One that accommodates everyone, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional. No one has missed the boat; it's never too late to start. A generation rewriting the rules Across the continent, young people are becoming increasingly mobile-first, digitally savvy, and actively seeking alternatives to traditional career paths, many of which are oversaturated and struggling to absorb a growing workforce. With South Africa's youth unemployment rate at 44.6% in Q4 2024 (Statistics SA), the search for new opportunities is urgent. Web3 offers a compelling alternative: a borderless, decentralised ecosystem where postcodes matter less than skill sets and ambition. As part of our commitment to empowering South African youth through education and community engagement, Binance proudly sponsors The Inside Show, a platform dedicated to amplifying youth perspectives on digital innovation. 'Young South Africans aren't just learning about Web3, they're living it. From creating NFT art to hosting crypto conversations online, we're seeing a surge in digital confidence and curiosity. For many, it's not just a career shift, it's a mindset shift,' says George Avakian, Founder and Host of the podcast at The Inside Show, a platform dedicated to amplifying youth perspectives and spotlighting new digital frontiers. At Binance, we're witnessing this transformation firsthand. From smart contract developers to NFT artists and community managers, young Africans are staking their claim in a digital economy that rewards creativity, agility and openness. Real career paths in Web3 What makes Web3 different is its breadth. You don't have to be a developer to thrive. Career paths include: Content creators and educators demystifying blockchain for new audiences Project managers and community leads are building trust across decentralised communities Designers and product thinkers shaping crypto user experiences Policy specialists and legal minds guiding responsible innovation across African markets And demand is growing. In our 2022 education initiative, we received over 80,000 applications worldwide from individuals eager to learn about Web3, a powerful signal of Africa's appetite for blockchain knowledge and readiness to work in this space. Education is the gateway But opportunity means little without access. That's why Binance is committed to making Web3 education accessible, practical, and locally relevant. Through Binance Academy, campus initiatives, and partnerships with African universities and youth networks, we're building pathways into the space, no coding background required. Recently, Binance partnered with AltSchool Africa, a platform reimagining education for the modern workforce, to offer structured Web3 training tailored to young Africans seeking digital skills. This collaboration brings together Binance's blockchain expertise with AltSchool's learner-first approach, offering accessible courses that blend theory with real-world application. We believe blockchain literacy is a 21st-century skill, just like financial literacy or digital security. And we're working to ensure that young Africans aren't just users of crypto, but the creators and builders of the next wave of innovation. The future is already here Young Africans are no longer waiting for an invitation to participate; they are building their platforms and creating opportunities for others to join. They are using Web3 not only for personal advancement but also to foster community empowerment and economic inclusion. A platform like Momint demonstrates how blockchain can be used to help creators and institutions monetise content and fund meaningful initiatives from preserving cultural heritage to supporting clean energy projects, showcasing the potential of African Web3 innovation to deliver real-world impact at scale. A new generation is redefining success and unlocking opportunities that didn't exist a decade ago, not through legacy systems, but by building the future of work block by block in Web3. DM
