A group of Eastern Cape friends walked away with the R40,000 grand prize after defeating hip-hop star Nadia Nakai and her friends in the latest season of the Friends of Amstel: The Challenge game show, which aired on e.tv on Saturday.
Led by group captain Sihle Magxala, joined by his friends Sibusiso Gusha, Ayabonga Buzani, and Abongile Tswele, the four managed to outperform the celebrity group.
The show, which offers youth an opportunity to compete against SA’s biggest celebrities and their friends in a series of games, was launched by beer brand Amstel.
Magxala and his crew of Challengers took on Nakai and her three friends, as the Defenders, in a series of friendship and music-based challenges.
Magxala, from Ngqamakhwe, reflected on his crew’s eight-year friendship.
“I met Gusha at the University of Fort Hare eight years ago in our first year.
“After finishing at UFH, I worked at a Game store, where I met Tswele and Buzani, who I later introduced to the others and we all blended.
“Even though we are no longer all here in the Eastern Cape, I saw this as an opportunity for us to reunite.
“I didn’t even tell my friends I’d entered us in the competition until everything was finalised.”
He said winning the competition felt surreal.
“It did not sink in for a while, it felt so unreal, we at first thought it would be one of those trips that you go on and just have fun.”
He said they were a bit unsettled after the first two games, and were blinded by the lights and cameras.
“But we had a group pep talk and decided we needed to go all-in.
“There was a game where we used our strategies to overcome our opponents and from there we all gained confidence, it became very exciting.”
Magxala said walking away with R40,000 in cash had changed their lives for the better.
“As guys who are hustling for ourselves and our loved ones, this R10,000 each has brought so much difference to each of our lives.
“I promised to do a bathroom at home, two others added to their homes’ renovations, while the fourth member contributed to his sibling’s initiation.”
Tswele said his family’s excitement had been a highlight for him.
“It was lovely seeing my loved ones excited for me and it is something that I would do again as I have learnt a lot from it.
“Being part of this competition has made our brotherhood strong, as we now know each other’s strong points and weaknesses.
“We are now more like a family as we also learnt how to keep things to ourselves, because we shot the show in April, but had to keep it to ourselves till now.”
Topping up the group’s victory, they will be included in an exclusive VIP experience in a Friends of Amstel broadcast.
Daily Dispatch
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