Mzansi Puzzled by Khaby Lame's Nomination at the South African Social Media Awards
- A viral graphic announcing SASMA nominations left many South Africans confused after global TikTok star Khaby Lame appeared on the list
- Khaby Lame, who holds Italian citizenship but is of Senegalese descent, was nominated in the African Social Media Star of the Year category
- The nomination sparked a lively debate on X, with fans questioning whether the awards were open to creators outside South Africa
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Getty Images
A nomination graphic for the South African Social Media Awards (SASMAs) sent local social media into a spin this week after TikTok's most-followed creator, Khaby Lame, appeared among the nominees.
The image circulated widely on X, leaving many South Africans scratching their heads over what appeared to be a glaring mismatch. User @destiny_ndlovu captured the collective confusion perfectly, writing:
"I might have missed something, but an Italian competing at the South African awards? 🤨🤷♀️"
Why Khaby Lame qualifies
The short answer is that the specific category in question reaches far beyond South Africa's borders. Lame was nominated in the 'African Social Media Star of the Year' category, which is designed to recognise creators from across the African continent and its diaspora, not only local personalities.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Although Lame holds Italian citizenship and grew up in Italy, he was born to Senegalese parents, making him eligible under the category's pan-African criteria. The SASMAs are hosted in South Africa but have carved out space for continental recognition alongside the home-grown categories.
His fellow nominees in the category reflect the same broad scope, including Nigerian musician Davido, Ugandan creator Angella Summer Namubiru, and South African personalities Mihlali Ndamase and Khanyi Mbau.
Check out the X post below:
Mzansi calls the SASMAs out
Not everyone read the fine print before weighing in. A large portion of the initial reactions assumed that every nominee on the list had to be South African, prompting jokes that the organisers were deliberately stirring controversy to generate online buzz and engagement.
Asante said:
“They like poking us, what on earth.”
La-Ndlovu added
“I am defeated.”
Monseigneur de Nero commented:
“Even his profile picture is surprised at him being nominated, lmfao.”
Mbangomuni Vananda commented:
“Maybe it's international what what angaz.”
Lepara said:
“They want to become relevant.”
Bhelekazi Elihle added:
“I don't think he knows that he's nominated.”
La-Ndlovu pointed out:
“Make it make sense; SASMAs are so unserious.”
La-Ndlovu agreed:
“Doesn't make sense at all.”
Khaby Lame secures $900 million deal
Senegalese-born content creator Khaby Lame entered a massive commercial partnership valued at approximately $900 million.
The deal involved the partial sale of his company, Step Distinctive Limited, to the US-listed firm Rich Sparkle Holdings, with the company gaining exclusive global rights to the Khaby Lame brand for a few years.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: Briefly News
