Rosie Motene Rallies Support for Sick Generations Actress Thahira Syed's R500k Medical Fund

• Rosie Motene called on her followers to donate to former Generations colleague Thahira Syed's BackaBuddy campaign
• Thahira Syed, who played Shaan Naidoo-Maistry on the SABC1 soap opera, is simultaneously battling three serious illnesses
• The actress set a R500 000 fundraising target as she is unable to work and the state will not cover parts of her treatment

Queer feminist writer and speaker Rosie Motene has stepped up for one of her own, urging her followers to support former Generations colleague Thahira Syed, who is fighting three serious illnesses at once.

Motene shared the appeal on Instagram on 16 March 2025, describing Syed as someone who has always faced life's challenges with "grace, strength, and courage." She directed her followers to a BackaBuddy campaign to help cover the actress's mounting medical bills.

Thahira Syed's health battle

Syed, best known for playing Shaan Naidoo-Maistry on the SABC1 soap opera Generations, is simultaneously battling aggressive Stage 3 cancer, Stage 3 renal failure, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The combination of conditions has left her unable to work, and the state will not cover certain portions of her treatment, placing enormous financial pressure on her.

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Her situation recently took a turn for the worse, as she is also battling unemployment.

R500 000 target to cover costs

Syed launched a BackaBuddy fundraiser with a target of R500 000 to cover medical costs, transport, and living expenses as she navigates treatment. As a freelance contractor without a steady income or employer-backed medical cover, every rand raised is critical to keeping her care on track.

Motene's post serves as a reminder of the financial fragility that comes with serious illness, particularly for freelancers in the arts and entertainment industry who fall outside formal employment safety nets.

"Let’s show up for Thahira. My former colleague, Thahira Syed, is bravely facing cancer with the same grace, strength, and courage she’s always brought to everything she does. Now, she needs our support with medical bills as she continues treatment."

If you’re able to give, please consider donating via Back A Buddy. If you can’t, a share goes a long way too. Let’s surround her with the love and care she’s so generously given to others.

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Check out Rosie's Instagram post:

SA actor dies

In a previous report from Briefly News, Actor Spaces announced the passing of veteran South African actor Lionel Newton on 12 August 2026.

Newton was widely celebrated for his stage, film and television work, including his role in the beloved film Mama Jack.

Source: Briefly News