Linda Sebezo’s Covid-19 struggles: 'My heart was heavy when I saw my mom buying bread for us'

Veteran actress Linda Sebezo has opened up about the devastating economic impact Covid-19 has had on her life, that saw her survive off her mother’s pension.

The star told TshisaLIVE in an interview this week that she was disappointed at how the government has treated artists during the pandemic.

She said that she applied for the department of sports, arts and culture’s Covid-19 relief fund.

The fund was launched in March, pledging R150m to help artists and athletes hit hard by Covid-19.

“We were told to apply for a relief fund only to find out that I don’t qualify. My heart was bleeding. I’m a taxpayer and I don’t owe tax. On the other hand I had to pay fees for my daughter who attends a private institution and I didn’t have money to pay for her then.”

The actress explained that she is a call actor, who works different jobs to make ends meet. She had just joined the cast of Mzansi Magic’s eHostela and was busy with several projects when life came to a standstill during the lockdown.

“I’m a single mother who juggles different jobs to put bread on the table. I do roadshows on Saturdays and shoot Isibaya and eHostela.

“I work hard every month to raise R40,000 to pay my bond, car, and school fees. All of a sudden everything got stuck. My heart was very heavy when I saw my mom buying bread for us.”

Now she cherishes every moment she gets with her children and said she is taking things one day at a time.

“When I get home from work I spend two hours with my children and they understand that I need to prepare for tomorrow’s shoot. When I’m off, I cook for them and spend time with them by playing games.”