LEGAL REVIEW RECOMMENDED

Jojo Opens Up About Russia Scandal Toll: Mental Health Struggles After TikTok Ban

JOHANNESBURG — Recently

Big Brother Mzansi star Karabo Sejojo (Jojo) has revealed her emotional breakdown following backlash over her promotion of a Russian recruitment programme that got her TikTok account banned. The 23-year-old spoke candidly about the experience on the Engineer Your Life podcast this week.

Jojo was among influencers whose TikTok accounts were permanently banned for endorsing the “Alabuga Start Programme”. The initiative reportedly targeted unemployed South African women aged 18-22 with offers of free flights, Russian language lessons and high-paying jobs (influencers’ promotional content).

She described widespread concern that the programme was “suspicious and possibly linked to human trafficking” (source not provided). This led to calls for influencers to be cancelled (social media response).

Jojo said the backlash devastated her: “There was a petition that said, ‘cancel these people,’ and I was like, I’m not even six months old in this industry and I’m being cancelled. My career is over even before it starts.”

She experienced severe mental distress, confessing: “I decided to go back home. My parents helped me. I think I would’ve committed suicide that day. That’s how deep it was.” No response from programme organizers was included in original reporting.

The singer credited her parents for support through the crisis, adding: “People think we are crying for numbers and followers. It’s not that.” She has since graduated, calling it a “brighter chapter” in her life.

Sharing her graduation photos, she reflected: “The past two weeks have been some of the heaviest I’ve ever faced… There were moments where it felt like life was coming to an end. But standing here on this day, I am reminded of the power of resilience, prayer, and hard work.”