Broken Promises?

Zahara is in the spotlight again for all the wrong reasons - this time she is accused of failing to deliver uniforms to poor learners.

- Qhama Dayile

THEY waited for months to see her strumming her guitar, because, like them, she was a small-town girl – but she had made it big.

Thanks to her electrifying stage presence and beautiful voice, Bulelwa Mkutukana, better known as Zahara, has even been compared to the legendary Brenda Fassie.

And like MaBrrr, she’s no stranger to controversy: in the latest drama to surround the songbird, she has been accused of squandering a R2 million donation meant for school uniforms for poor school children in Phumlani village in the Eastern Cape, where she grew up.

But Zahara (28), who has recently made headlines with rumours she’s practically bankrupt, denies the allegation.

When the celebrated singer hosted a sports day sponsored by the department of arts and culture for school children in her hometown earlier this year, kids from far and wide attended the event, screaming as their idol took to the stage.

They were treated to musical performances, followed by a fun-filled day of playing netball, soccer and rugby.

Zahara bestowed the winning teams with medals, trophies and prize money after they participated in the tournaments.

Their joy was doubled when Zahara later requested a register of the most-needy children from two local high schools – she indicated she wanted to provide the schools’ poorest pupils with much-needed school uniforms.

Yet three months after her generous offer, the children still don’t have the uniforms and the principals 

THE schools allege Zahara was given R2 million by the department of arts and culture to arrange the sports day and pay for the uniforms.