Celebs who almost got cancelled this year

Let's be honest, social media has its perks. From being connected to users all across the globe to having access to everyone's thoughts, communication has never been better for humans!

However, some of the negatives of social media include trolling and the infamous "cancel/call out culture" (when the internet ostracises a person and withdraws all its support as a collective).

Some of Mzansi's famous faces felt the wrath first hand this year. 

Here are some of our local faves who were problematic in the eyes of the internet for a hot minute:

Pearl Thusi

After years of the Pearl vs colourism debate, the star opened up about the bullying she experienced for her comments about being light-skinned in SA.

Pearl is no stranger to hate from angry tweeps. Though the star has spent years discussing the topic, her most recent comments on the colourism debate rubbed the internet up the wrong way.

After Beyoncé dropped her hit Brown Skin Girl, Pearl posted a photo of herself with the caption “Brown skin girl ... skin just like pearl’s”.

However, the internet didn't really agree with the star calling herself a "brown skin girl",  and Pearl received backlash from all corners of the internet.

She has opened up about the bullying since the incident.

In an emotional interview with friend and fellow celeb Khanyi Mbau on BET's Behind The Story, the star opened up about the hate she still receives from people in the industry.

“Let me live my life, live yours, I have worked very hard for what I have and if my light skin is going to help me feed my children and that’s what you want to believe, then you know what, believe it, but I am really exhausted”, she said before crying.

AKA

The king of rap and clap backs is no stranger to cancel culture after he posted a homophobic slur in a tweet addressing industry rival Cassper Nyovest.

With a boxing match between the two planned, there was definitely a fight brewing for years.

After the pair had a fall out years ago and put their battle of the egos to the forefront in their social media, there have been some words they shouldn't have exchanged.

In an explosive rant about Cass, AKA lost his cool and threw the slur "m***ie" in the heat of the moment.

Fans were totally not cool with the Bhovamania star's use of the homophobic slur, and AKA received backlash for his comment.

The star deleted the tweet and later apologised for his comment, saying there is no excuse for using the slur.

Minnie Dlamini

New mommy and actress Minnie was called out by Twitter earlier this year for calling Bantu knots "ghetto", but some fans came to her defence.

Though she wasn't cancelled for too long, Minnie has had her moments of being on trial for her tweets and posts.

Fans often look to former SABC 1 presenter Minnie for fashion and young mother advice,  but the star hasn't been free from the shackles of cancel culture.

After posting a picture of herself with new hair captioned "Just because it's ghetto doesn't mean it's not fabulous. Loving my Bantu knots", fans were not cool with the star calling the hairstyle "ghetto", and Minnie received a backlash from tweeps across Mzansi.

Some fans asked if Minnie had forfeited her right to an opinion simply because she is famous, while others said anyone who used the outrage to further their own agendas was "immature".

Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung

Actor-cum-chef Somizi was close to being cancelled this year after he was accused of stealing the idea for his show Dinner with Somizi.

Somizi is definitely well versed in the way of dealing with haters.

Earlier this year, the Idols SA judge was accused of stealing the concept for his cooking show from local producer Hastings Moeng.

Screenshots of e-mails allegedly sent by the producer to Somizi in 2014, which detailed striking similarities for a cooking reality show, went viral.

Taking to Instagram Live, Somizi addressed the rumours swirling around the internet about his show not truly being his. The star sao\id he drew inspiration from multiple sources and didn't steal ideas because he is "an original".

“I did not steal anybody’s concept and I will never again claim I came up with an original concept. I was inspired by a whole lot of shows.”