When Chantal Naidu posted her first TikTok video on April 9, 2022, she had no idea she was about to build a community of more than 153,000 followers and millions of views worldwide.
She called her platform That Aunty From Tongaat, and from the very beginning, she promised herself one thing – she would do it without pretending to be anyone else.
“I did not want an alter ego,” she recalled. “The only way to be truly unique is to be yourself. I knew if I stayed real, the right people would connect with me.”
Her videos mix the light-hearted with the deeply personal – dancing in her kitchen, cooking traditional meals, laughing with family, reflecting on life’s challenges and speaking openly about her health journey.
She has also shared her experiences during two of Tongaat’s darkest moments: the April 2022 floods and the June 2024 tornado.
“I want my platform to be more than entertainment,” she said. “I want it to be a space where people feel inspired, where they see that life can throw anything at you, but you can still find joy.”
Naidu has been married to Rhyne Naidu for 28 years. Rhyne works as an offshore inspector on oil rigs, often spending long periods away from home.
“It is not easy,” she admitted, “but we have built a strong foundation. We have grown together through every season of life.”
They have three children: Tia, 25, Tyril, 19, and Tyreece,18. Naidu described them as her biggest supporters – and also her biggest reality check. “My kids keep me grounded. They remind me to laugh at myself, and they also aren’t afraid to tell me if a dance trend is not for me,” she said.
Her family often features in her content, although some prefer to stay off-camera. “It is all about comfort,” she explained. “If they want to join in, they do. If not, they are still cheering me on from the sidelines.”
Naidu’s content draws heavily from her personal experiences. “I am free to be me,” she said. “I enjoy music, dancing, cooking, and just sharing whatever is really going on in my life – the good, the bad and the hilarious.”
She is particularly proud that her videos challenge the narrow boxes society often tries to put women in. “I’m not your typical influencer,” she said. “And that is the point. I want women like me to know we can be visible, we can be vibrant, and we do not have to fit the mould.”
Behind the laughs and dance challenges is a powerful story of resilience. Naidu lives with benign intracranial hypertension (BIH), a condition that causes dangerously high pressure in the brain. In her case, it led to brain surgery and the placement of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt.
“Before the surgery, I was very, very ill,” she said. “It was terrifying.” While the surgery brought relief, it did not erase the condition. She still suffers from peripheral vision loss, tinnitus, severe headaches, nausea and vomiting.
She also developed Bell’s palsy due to the pressure, leaving slight paralysis on the right side of her face. “Some people notice it in my videos,” she said. “I do not hide it. It is part of my story now.”
Every two weeks, her shunt drains – a process that triggers days of intense vertigo and illness. “Those days are the hardest,” she admitted. “But once it passes, I get back up and carry on. You cannot let life stop you.”
Her illness has transformed the way she looks at the world. “Life is short, and it is unpredictable,” she said. “Happiness is not optional – it is essential.”
Naidu’s influence goes far beyond social media. As the leader of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) North, she works directly with survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and domestic abuse.
“This is the work that means the most to me,” she said. “I have seen how a little support can change the direction of someone’s life.”
From her Tongaat kitchen to phones worldwide, Naidu proves authenticity and compassion can spark change.
Last year, she hosted her first free Women’s Day event for women affected by the tornado, focusing on mental health. This year, she expanded it to include women from across Tongaat, offering education and resources on GBV.
“I tell women, you have options, you have rights, and you have people who will stand with you,” she said. Her dream is to take these events to communities across South Africa, but funding remains a challenge. “My husband and I cover the costs ourselves, but if I had sponsors, I could reach so many more women,” she explained.
With popularity comes a loss of privacy, something Naidu has had to learn to live with. “I cannot just pop into a shop anymore without someone recognising me,” she said. “The only thing that truly worries me is the safety of my children. That is the one thing I am protective about.”
She has also had to navigate criticism. “Not everyone will like what you do – and that is okay,” she said. “I respect constructive feedback, but I do not let the negativity stick. You cannot please everyone, and you should not try.”
If there is one lesson Naidu hopes people take from her journey, it is that it is never too late to start.
“Nothing is impossible,” she said. “Be unapologetically you. Do not be afraid to take a chance – it is better to try and fail than fail to try. With the right motivation, anything is possible.”
From her kitchen in Tongaat to phones across the globe, Naidu is living proof that authenticity, resilience and compassion can inspire change – both in your own life and in the lives of others.
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