Many of us know Mandisi Tshingana as our go-to person after a long day, someone we know will definitely put a smile on our faces. And some know him as ‘umfana wamaphinifa’. But have you wondered who the person behind these hilarious videos is on a normal day?
Well, Mandisi is a Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Industrial engineering graduate who is currently working as a regular engineer (as he puts it) in Durban.
Sharing with BONA, he mentioned that he started social media when he was still in varsity, which resulted in him gaining a huge following. Whilst he enjoyed social media he shared that at the time he was a bit sceptical because of the dangers of social media at the time, “We were told to not have opinions on anything because a bad thing could happen to you.”
Having created one of the most controversial social media accounts, Nonzwakazi Dayimani, he shared that the whole idea behind it was to just create a safe space for himself, where he could jot down his thoughts exactly how he wanted to.
As we know, all eras come to an end, and because he had to look for a sustainable job, he had to let go of Nonzwakazi Dayimani since employers often go through potential employees’ social media during the hiring process.
Sharing with us, Mandisi revealed that he was motivated by his bent for commanding attention and not being afraid to speak his mind. “If I am trending for a bad reason it is probably for a good reason,” he shared.
Talking about TikTok, he shared that it wasn’t a big deal to him at first. However, a friend and colleague encouraged him to create an account after noticing the random videos he frequently posted on his WhatsApp status. “I just wanted to get her off my back so I created the account, posted one video and slept. I woke up in the morning to 10k likes and over 100k views which motivated me to post more videos,” he shared.
His passion for content creation grew as he learned new strategies to make it work and deliver the kind of content he would enjoy as a viewer. He shared that he especially loves the editing process, but he also had to step behind the camera himself since he couldn’t find anyone to execute his vision the way he wanted.
While it’s common for creators to take breaks from filming, on days when Mandisi isn’t shooting, he prefers to stay home—cooking, creating content, or watching his favourite series. He shared, “I do not like going out because I love my space but I also love hosting people.”
He added that when he’s not cooking, creating content, or watching his favourite series, he’s likely doing laundry, “I hate a full laundry basket, you’ll find me doing laundry even if it is three t-shirts.”
As a recognised content creator who has won awards like the Sol Content Creator award, he has now been nominated for the Humanitarian Award at the Emerge Africa Awards. “This nomination means so much to me, especially because I did not nominate myself. It is an eye-opener for me because it comes after the Brenda Ngxoli donations initiative which I have been feeling that did I do enough? Even though she appreciated and showed gratitude but from my side I still felt like I could do more,” he said.
He also opened up about how this recognition ties into his past, sharing that growing up, he was not celebrated at home, which now makes him question whether he truly deserves certain achievements.
Mandisi also reflected on the unexpected experiences that come with having a growing audience, noting that followers can sometimes go to extreme lengths. He recalled one of the craziest encounters he’s had, sharing that a fan once approached him in a club and boldly asked him to engage in sexual activity with her and another person.
Beyond his public persona, there’s a side of him that many may not know, “I think people don’t know that I do a lot of puzzles and problem-solving (which I think stems from my job of actually having to solve problems every day) whether it is jigsaw puzzles or brain teasers, I find solving puzzles incredibly satisfying,” he shared.
“It is a great way to unwind and challenge my mind at the same time. Plus, it is a fun way to spend time with friends,” he concluded.
He is available on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram @Mandisi Tshingana
Also see:Mandisi Tshingana nominated for Humanitarian Award on Emerge Africa Awards
