The line between fiction and reality has tragically blurred for actress Lethabo Mekoa, known for her role as the rebellious Ntswaki on the popular SABC 1 soapie, Skeem Saam.

Mekoa has taken to social media in a desperate and emotional plea, revealing that she is currently facing severe online bullying, character assassination, and harassment from viewers who are unable to separate her personal life from the controversial exploits of her on-screen persona.

The actress shared a heartbreaking post on her Instagram stories, articulating the deep toll the public’s judgment is taking on her mental health and personal relationships.

Her character, Ntswaki, is depicted on the show as a volatile, disobedient teenager who engages in tumultuous relationships, including, as referenced by commentators, sleeping with her boss.

Unfortunately, it appears a significant portion of the viewership has failed to differentiate between the fictional narrative and Mekoa’s real-life identity, leading to her being subjected to relentless abuse and unfair labelling.

Mekoa’s statement, delivered with raw vulnerability, began by expressing her profound exhaustion and hurt.

“I am tired,” she wrote.

“I hope the bullying I’m receiving makes you guys sleep at night.”

She directly addressed those who have used cruel words against her, questioning the perceived lack of humanity in the public discourse.

“To those who have hurt me with words, I thought we were better than this.

I thought kindness mattered.”

The gravity of the situation was underscored by her admission of lasting damage.

“Your words have left a scar and I’m not sure they’ll ever fully heal.

I’m tired of trying to prove myself to people who don’t see beyond the work I do.”

The core of her distress appears to stem from assumptions made about her romantic life and personal relationships, fueled by the public’s inability to see past Ntswaki’s fictional dating life.

Mekoa clarified that not every person she is photographed with is her romantic partner, highlighting the exhausting nature of constant speculation and false labelling.

“Not everyone I take a picture or video with is my partner.

And it’s honestly so exhausting to be labelled names because of the people I know.”

She asserted that she has always maintained privacy regarding her love life, emphasizing that the public’s assumptions are entirely baseless.

“I have never spoken out or explained anything to anyone about my love life.

And I have also never bothered saying my part in the things you guys assume about me.”

However, the continuous harassment has now reached a critical threshold.

“But it has gotten so worse now.

I’m exhausted from the weight of your opinions, from the constant feeling of not being enough.”

Mekoa described feeling trapped and drained by the expectations imposed on her by viewers.

“I’m drained from trying to feed into the mold you have created for me.

Maybe one day you will realize the harm your words have caused.

But for now, I just feel empty.”

The actress reiterated the fundamental distinction between her profession and her personhood, a distinction that her harassers seem unwilling to acknowledge.

“The character that I play has nothing to do with my personal life.”

The situation has created painful ripple effects, extending beyond Mekoa herself and negatively impacting her friendships, particularly those with other public figures.

“And because I have friends that are also public figures, it makes it so difficult to be free to be with my friends because they also are not comfortable being with me in public because it might be posted or might ruin their own personal lives.”

This inability to maintain normal social relationships due to fear of public judgment only serves to further isolate the young actress.

She concluded her message with a simple, yet poignant admission of defeat: “Honestly, I am tired.

I’m just so tired of all of this, guys.”

This situation is particularly alarming given Mekoa’s youth.

As a young woman in the entertainment industry, she is naturally subjected to the normal experiences of dating and forming relationships, yet every interaction is scrutinized through the lens of her fictional character’s mistakes.

The tendency of the public to conflate a young person’s real life—which naturally involves dating, breakups, and moving on—with a dramatic, fictional storyline like that of Ntswaki is deeply unfair and emotionally damaging.

Online commentary has highlighted the irony and toxicity of this behaviour, noting that normal dating life is twisted into evidence that she is inherently “rebellious” or promiscuous, mirroring the character she portrays.

The backlash Mekoa is facing serves as a stark reminder of the dangerous toxicity that exists on social media, especially when directed at actors who inhabit morally ambiguous roles.

The phenomenon of the audience punishing the actor for the character’s actions is a serious industry issue that can lead to severe mental health crises, including depression, anxiety, and social isolation.

It underscores the urgent need for media literacy among viewers and for online platforms to take concrete action against targeted harassment and bullying.

The emotional plea from the young Skeem Saam star is a harrowing cry for compassion and for the simple right to be viewed as an individual separate from her job.

Until the public learns to respect the boundary between art and reality, talented individuals like Lethabo Mekoa will continue to bear the crushing weight of opinions based on pure fiction.