Ntsiki Mazwai left disappointed by #PearlThusiDay - calls for Ma Winnie Mandela Day instead

A slew of Twitter users have declared today as #PearlThusiDay as the local actress will be making her much-anticipated debut on the acclaimed US TV series Quantico tonight in South Africa.

While many excited fans inundated social media with messages of celebration, poet Ntsiki Mazwai has been left disappointed by the acclaim that Pearl has been receiving.

As #PearlThusiDay topped the trends list, Ntsiki claimed that the day should instead be dedicated to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who is turning 80 years old today.

Kinda sad that this is trending instead of #WinnieMandelaDay. ..looks like SA really adores n feels validated by America #PearlThusiDay

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

Damn what a disappointment to live amongst a people who are actually NOT woke

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

Subsequently, Ntsiki was lambasted by some Twitter users, who explained that Pearl and mam' Winnie could both be celebrated simultaneously, to which she responded:  "#WinnieMandelaDay is not trending...you gave the day to Pearl Thusi for being hired by Americans. Thats deep."

She continued to clarify her sentiments, saying Pearl can't be put before mam' Winnie, who - according to her - "lived [a] struggle that changed all our lives".

Im not saying u cant celebrate Pearls new job but i think it is sad that u wanna have a Pearl Thusi day BEFORE you have a WINNIE MANDELA DAY

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

R u seriously gonna compare being on tv to a real lived struggle that changed ALL our lives????wow u r amazing.

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

Nah babes....its not the same...u r diminishing winnie mandelas role by comparing her to american tv https://t.co/V5L8cdOKCU

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

U.JUST.DONT.UNDERSTAND.NEH...that it is tricky when tv starts being more important than our own heroes...

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

Your values are misplaced

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

All lazy thinkers will call this jealousy....coz they cant face that our struggle heroes are bigger than american tv how sad is ignorance?

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

Will world history remember Winnie Mandela or an american tvshow? Pls dont down play our struggle?

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

U have done yourselves an injustice by not putting aside a day for WINNIE MANDELA

— Daughter Of The Soil (@ntsikimazwai) September 26, 2016

Meanwhile, Pearl, who plays a disciplined and type-A lawyer Dayana Mampasi on Quantico, launched a series of tweets ahead of the US premiere in the wee hours of Monday morning.

"From SABC to worldwide ABC. Officially suspended in a state of sublime excitement," she wrote.

"When the year starts with your career being sabotaged then God moves you abroad. I Thank those who lifted me up as they were weighing me down," she added amongst many other tweets.