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Cape Town – #OpenUpTheIndustry is a Twitter debate that has been trending for the last two days and heated up on Freedom Day.
The hashtag was originally started to create awareness around the fact that South Africa is rich in talent and that we need to be giving more people the opportunity to showcase their abilities.
But it soon turned into a hit list taking aim at some of South Africa’s most well-known stars.
Adding fuel to the fire was the news that local TV personality Boity Thulo had landed a new job as co-host of Ridiculousness Africa.
Some were saying that the same faces land the top jobs every time and that they’re tired of seeing the same people being used over and over again.
Others cautioned not to discredit people who worked hard to get where they were and that saying people “didn’t deserve” the opportunities they had received was “insulting”.
For the most part celebrities were steering clear of the debate until Wednesday when they spoke openly about the issue.
Bonang joined Gugulethu Mhlungu and Sizwe Dhlomo on Wednesday night on 702’s Night Talk to speak about her experiences in the industry.
According to Bonang not a lot of people are aware of the fact that she’s been turned down for roles and definitely hasn’t landed every job she auditioned for.
“I didn’t let it get me down. I tried something else,” Bonang said.
Watch Bonang on 702 here:
The key points from #OpenUpTheIndustry so far:
1) We need to invest in our local talent.
2) South Africans want to see new talent getting opportunities.
3) We need equal opportunities for all talent.
4) We shouldn’t discredit those who have achieved success in the industry so far.
5) Talent shouldn’t give up after one unsuccessful attempt. Stand up and try again.
6) Take initiative and use your resources to build a résumé.
7) Start from the ground up and build your career on that foundation.
