Mzansi’s beloved Trevor Noah kicked off his Friday morning by being the talk of social media after it was reported that he would feature in a five-minute promotion video, costing R33 million.
Noah is currently on his Savanna Premium Cider South African Tour and is touching down in Durban on Friday night.
Ahead of his shows in the city, Noah spoke to Carol Ofori on East Coast Radio and clarified the R33 million story that’s trending.
"This is the thing ... I’ve learnt about media online is that people don’t read or they just write articles. Sometimes, I just think it’s AI that’s writing these articles.
“First of all, there is nothing with SA tourism. No one from SA Tourism approached me; there’s nothing from government. I was talking to hotel groups, cause you know South Africa, we need to boost our tourism.
"(It is) one of the most important sources of our GDP and so I was just talking to these guys, who own hotels, Airbnbs, game lodges, and safaris, about how we can promote South Africa to the world.
“And then I wake up, guys, I wish I had all this money that these people gave me in these newspapers,” he said.
Speaking to @CarolOfori , Trevor Noah clarified the R33-million story💸
— East Coast Radio (@ecr9495) September 8, 2023
LISTEN HERE< https://t.co/e5T6JAiCX2 >#CarolOforiOnECR #TrevorNoah pic.twitter.com/dHAE4ZEAsF
Never short of jokes, Noah told Ofori that he wants to employ the people working at newspapers to write his bank balance so he could enjoy it, adding that the reports were drawing unnecessary attention from friends and family who might want a loan.
Earlier it was revealed that chairperson of the portfolio committee on tourism, Tandi Mahambehlala had asked Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille about the issue of Trevor Noah’s promotional video advertisement.
The minister insisted that the R33 million would not be coming from taxpayers' pockets and was instead a contribution from the Tourism Business Council of Southern Africa.