PICTURE: INSTAGRAM/ @lasizwe
South African content creator Thulasizwe Lasizwe Dambuza has expressed his gratitude to actor Vuyo Biyela following the viral response to their recent episode of Awkward Dates.
Also see: Lasizwe’s Awkward Dates deal with Multichoice comes to an end
The episode, which featured the two sharing a date filled with humour, awkward moments and plenty of conversation, quickly got Mzansi talking online.
Lasizwe thanks Vuyo Biyela
Taking to social media, Lasizwe opened up about the impact the episode has had on him, saying he struggled to put his feelings into words.
“Firstly, thank you Vuyo Biyela for being so cool!” Lasizwe wrote.
He went on to explain that Vuyo’s participation meant more to him than simply creating entertaining content.
“You don’t understand what you’ve done, not just for me, but for a conversation I believe this country needed to see,” he said.
I cannot put into words how I feel right now. 🥹❤️
Firstly, THANK YOU Vuyo Biyela for being sooooo COOL! You don’t understand what you’ve done, not just for me, but for a conversation I believe this country needed to see.
THIS is why I created #AwkwardDatesZA .
To entertain,… pic.twitter.com/nULQt76C4n
— Lasizwe (@lasizwe) August 11, 2026
Also see: WATCH: Dominic Zaca accuses Lasizwe of breaching their ‘Awkward Dates’ contract
‘This is why I created Awkward Dates’
Lasizwe explained that Awkward Dates was created with a purpose beyond making viewers laugh.
The YouTube dating show sees Lasizwe go on dates with celebrity guests, creating humorous and sometimes unexpected conversations.
According to Lasizwe, the show is intended to entertain while also encouraging viewers to reconsider how they relate to one another.
“This is why I created #AwkwardDatesZA. To entertain, yes. To make you laugh, absolutely. But also to create moments that challenge how we see each other and show that sometimes… we really can just coexist,” he wrote.
Episode racks up impressive numbers
Lasizwe also celebrated the response to the episode, revealing that it had accumulated 130,000 views within its first 24 hours.
He said the episode subsequently continued to attract around 100,000 views per day four days after its release, describing the performance as a major milestone for the show.
The Awkward Dates series has built a sizeable audience since its launch and has previously received recognition, including a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) nomination for Best Online Content.
‘This is impact’
While Lasizwe acknowledged the impressive numbers, he said the conversations sparked by the episode meant even more to him.
“But beyond the numbers, it’s the conversations that have moved me the most,” he wrote, encouraging his followers to look through the responses to the episode.
“This is bigger than a viral episode for me. This is impact.”
Lasizwe ended his heartfelt message by celebrating the moment and the purpose behind the show: “Now this is Awkward Dates.”
The episode continues to generate conversation online, with viewers reacting to the chemistry, humour and discussions between Lasizwe and Vuyo.
Also see: Lasizwe takes EFF CIC Julius Malema on ‘Awkward Dates’
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