Johannesburg - "Thank you South Africa. Your kindness has truly warmed us," Hector Kansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat said in a statement to Sowetan Live after a video of their proposal in a KFC went viral this week and donations poured in for them to have a dream wedding and honeymoon.
"We would have never imagined that our love story would have touched so many of you. While we appreciate the support, we ask that you please give us a moment to take it all in. We will definitely let you know about our plans around the wedding,” the couple reportedly said.
According to Sowetan Live, the groom has explained that the pair, who have been together since 2010, officially married in 2012 but the ceremony was "not quite what they had envisioned".
Hector further explained his proposal in KFC this week: I don’t work so I didn’t have enough cash to give wife Nonhlanhla a befitting wedding/jewellery but wanted to do something small. ...I decided to come to KFC to give her a small surprise with a meal. (I) didn’t tell family anything; wanted it to be a complete surprise with everyone.
A video of the proposal in KFC was posted on social media and went viral on Thursday as Mzansi searched for the unidentified couple.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/KFCProposal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KFCProposal pic.twitter.com/6bj89dtj4j
— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA)
By Friday morning, Hector Kansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat had been identified and were showered with donations for their dream wedding.
The couple's story continued trending throughout the day under the hashtags #KFCProposal and #KFCWedding with donations and contributions pouring in and celebrities, companies and ordinary citizens offering to make the big day a special one.
The loved-up couple meanwhile, expressed their gratitude to South Africans for the love and generous donations, with KFC tweeting their thanks.
Our amazing couple, bhut’ Hector and sis Nonhlanhla, are truly grateful and overjoyed by your love SA 🇿🇦. Ba kopa fela a moment to take in all the love you are showering them with, please bear with us. More to follow fam. Siyabonga Mzansi. 🙏 #KFCProposal pic.twitter.com/AurEo48PuO
— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA) November 8, 2019