Local news

Local Swalala content creator turns everyday life into internet fame

Drawing inspiration from his rural upbringing and late grandmother, Sabelo Sibuye uses humour and cultural storytelling to connect with hundreds of thousands of fans across South Africa.

What started as a passion for making people laugh has grown into a social media brand with 400 000 followers on TikTok and 8.6 million views.


Sabelo Sibuye, known as “Gogo La’Mabuza”, has become a popular face on social media through his content that blends humour, culture, and everyday South African experiences.


Born and raised in Swalala, Sibuye says his upbringing played a major role in shaping the creator he has become.


“I grew up in an environment where family, culture, and community were very significant,” says Sibuye. “Growing up taught me to appreciate where I come from, and those experiences continue to influence the content I create and how I interact with people.”

ALSO READ : Sabie learner heads to Germany for cultural experience

He says his journey into content creation was driven by a love of entertaining and sharing relatable, everyday moments with people.

“In the beginning, I was simply creating and posting content for fun, and as more people started engaging with my videos, I realised I could use my creativity to build something meaningful for myself,” he says.

ALSO READ: Barberton Mines marks Heritage Day with cultural showcase

He says the name Gogo La’Mabuza was inspired by his late grandmother, who passed away in 2023.
“After her passing, I decided to take her surname and turn it into my brand. I didn’t expect it to gain such a large following and support across South Africa, but it turned out to be a blessing,” he says.


Sibuye hopes to continue growing to work with brands, entertainment projects and MC opportunities, while continuing to represent where he comes from.


He says his advice to aspiring content creators is simple: “They must start with what they have, be consistent and never be ashamed of their background.” He adds that young people should not be afraid to tell their stories.

Sabelo Sibuye as his TikTok character, Gogo La'Mabuza.
Sabelo Sibuye as his TikTok character, Gogo La’Mabuza.

At Caxton, every story is written by humans. We use AI only to perform quality checks - never to generate the news. Happy reading!

Support local journalism

Add The Citizen as a preferred source to see more from Mpumalanga News in Google News and Top Stories.

Bridget Mpande

Bridget Mpande is the editor assistant for Mpumalanga News and Lowvelder Express. She joined Lowveld Media in 2014 and covers several beats in the newsroom. She is a mentor and believes there is no community newspaper without the community.

Related Articles

Back to top button