Social media has made it easier for young people trying to break into the entertainment industry. With recent calls for people to #OpenUpTheIndustry, young South Africans have started looking for new avenues to market themselves. Here is a list of young entertainers using Facebook to showcase their talent.

Zikhona Nongqiza Msuthu

Zikhona is a good example of how Facebook can open doors, and 2016 has been good to her. She’s been nominated for Best Newcomer at the SA Comics Choice Awards, where she performed at the Newcomer showcase which was held at the Soweto Theater  last month. Her relatable persona, carefree nature and how she records her videos (often with her hair unkempt) makes it the best part of her comedy. Zikhona’s videos are mostly in Xhosa, and she’s managed to get over 42 000 views on her first video, posted in March. She uses Xhosa youth slang and is very unapologetic. She often speaks about her own experiences, things that go on around her as well as throw in a few tips on how to finally get that chick you’ve always wanted.

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Siyabulela TaFire Deli

Siyabulela’s video the “Xhosa version of where are the pots”, a spoof on the notorious Speak Out episode, got nearly 200 000 views since it was first posted two months ago. Siyabulela, whose page now has 16 000 likes, started posting his videos in February with the recurring character uMama Nomlilo, a Xhosa mother who often complains about her son Masixole’s behaviour. In September last year, Siyabulela bagged himself a feature role on the Mzansi Magic soapie Isibaya, where he plays a troubled teen. Since his rise in popularity, the topics on Siyabulela’s videos are now varied, including a series on the different ways South African races react to different situations.

Yes Fash (Hosana Ngobese)

Yes Fash’s videos are normally 30 second-long comedy skits, which are made up of two characters. Fash plays both characters, and sometimes has his friends help him out. What makes his videos entertaining is that the topics he covers are things most people have experienced, but never really thought of in the ways he does. His videos vary from Whatsapp calls, iPhone users and car immobilisers, to name a few. And the most popular, “If Panda was a church song,” which was posted just last week, has been viewed over 450 000 times. Yes Fash was first made popular by his “If iPhone was made in…” series where he dances to a mashup of the iPhone ringtone with another song connected to the title of his video.

Being Nathan Kennedy

The Being Nathan Kennedy page has over 41 000 likes. Using his flamboyant personality, Nathan tells stories on his experiences. In his videos, he switches between English and Afrikaans. The majority of his gags are done in Afrikaans, giving humourous direct English translations as he goes along. He talks about things that happen in the coloured as well as the LGBTI community.

Siviwe Lutseke

Siviwe is an aspiring actor who uses Facebook to get his work out. His videos range from making fun of cashiers, black mothers and Xhosa girl stereotypes. What makes his videos a hit is the fact people relate to the different characters, and have probably come across someone like that. His first “Xhosa girls are vicious” video, posted in last month, has received over 30 000 views. This video exposed him to a large audience with his subsequent videos reaching thousands of views.

What other funny Facebook vloggers should we be checking out? Let us know in the comments section below, or on Facebook and Twitter.