Uzalo’s Pastor Mdletshe actor Glen Gabela begs for help after heart attack & depression struggle

Veteran Actor Glen Gabela Pleads for Financial Assistance Amid Health and Career Struggles

Veteran actor Glen Gabela, widely recognized for his role as Pastor Mdletshe on SABC1’s hit soapie Uzalo, has made a heartfelt public appeal for financial assistance.

The former Shaka star revealed that he recently suffered a heart attack, which left him hospitalized for three weeks. Speaking in a video shared on social media on Wednesday, 13 August 2025, Gabela admitted he is battling depression and struggling to make ends meet.

“It’s painful for me, because begging is very difficult for me,” he said. “I just need help to live a decent life. I don’t need to be rich.”

Gabela, who joined Uzalo in 2020, disclosed that he has not secured any acting work since leaving the show in 2018. The actor added that the stress of financial hardship and unemployment has severely affected his health, with doctors warning him that his heart attack was stress-related.

In an interview with Sunday World, the seasoned thespian opened up about losing his car and being evicted from his apartment. “The industry is hard, and I haven’t worked since 2018. I’m struggling, I can’t even take care of myself,” he confessed.

The actor’s plight has sparked mixed reactions online. Some social media users questioned why established performers often end up in financial distress despite years in the industry, while others criticized the Department of Arts and Culture for failing to support veteran entertainers.

One user commented: “Something doesn’t add up. He acted for how long on Uzalo? How did he not save up? Where is his homestead?” Another added: “Why can’t the Department of Arts and Culture help such celebrities when they are down and out? I swear the entertainment industry is the pits in Mzansi.”