IT’S been a while since Nolwazi Cele won the Live In A Bed competition hosted by Hirsch’s and Suncoast.

She walked away with a whopping R100 000 in cold, hard cash, sponsored by Hisense and Cloud Nine Rest Assured, for a 12-day stay in a bed with six other contestants at Suncoast and, of course, bragging rights.

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Cele was up against six other contestants to see who could spend the longest in a comfortable Cloud Nine Rest Assured bed.

Slowly but surely, through a process of elimination following a few challenges that were thrown their way, contestants had to pack up and go home, but Cele was the last woman standing. She spent 12 days in the bed.

“Winning the money for me meant that I could change the situation at home. My sister was medically boarded following an illness; my mom has taken on so much financially, and she now needs a break; and I have a beauty business that I want to grow. I also want to invest in my son’s education. A lot was riding on me winning, and I was determined to do so,” she said.

The beautician did indeed use her prize money to assist with finances at home and expand her beauty business by adding on a foot spa service. She has also created employment by employing two professionals and has plans for more growth in the near future.

“Without capital, it’s difficult to grow a business. I have been freelancing all along, but now, I have plans to become more established,” she added.

Apart from the cash prize, Cele also received a weekend stay from Suncoast Casino which she and her son enjoyed. Much to everyone’s surprise, she didn’t splurge on any expensive spoils and only treated herself to a good meal with her winnings.

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“I have waited so long for a break so I can’t spend money unnecessarily,” she said.

Speaking about the competition, Cele said it was very much a mental challenge. Some people got homesick, others could not spend time lying in a bed and there were those who found the challenges, well, challenging.

“I realised from the get-go that I needed a strategy. I needed to find a comfortable spot because we were all pieces in a puzzle at the end of the day. The challenges did get real and were done with our backs to each other so you had no idea what your opponents were doing. The winning moment for me was just surreal. I took a deep breath and burst into tears because I wanted this so much,” said Cele.

The winner said she will never forget her contestants as she formed a bond with many of them, especially Vanessa. She said that at one point, she was left with only ‘the boys’ and was grateful to them for allowing her TV time as she loves watching TV.

“It did get challenging towards the end because I missed home and my son, but I was in it to win it. I had to snap out of the homesickness and keep my eyes on the prize. My partner and family were also extremely supportive of me which motivated me. I’d like to thank Hirsch’s, Suncoast Casino, Rest Assured and Hisense for making my dreams a reality. Winning has also helped ease my stress levels. I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing I don’t have so much on my plate anymore,” she said.

And yes, Cele said she would definitely do it again!

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