On Sunday March 17, the 57th episode of Big Brother Mzansi came with a big twist. Liema chose to leave the house after being faced with a decision to stay in the competition or leave with a cash prize.

Liema faces tough choice at BBMzansi Fate Room Challenge

On day 57 Big Brother, also known as Biggie, put the entire house up for elimination and all but Head of House had to participate in the Fate Room challenge. Liema progressed to the second of two rounds after pulling a red marble out of a pool of blue marbles in the first challenge. At the second stage, Liema was given two choices:

“Take a R250 000 cheque and exit the game, or stay in the house and take a shot at the R2 million grand prize. She was given 60 seconds to decide her fate and Liema is going home with a quarter of a million rand.” – @Mzansi Magic

Liema chooses R250k and eviction

During the 60 seconds Liema seemed to go back and forth about her decision. At the 30 second mark she , still looking unsure, pressed the red buzzer to take R250 000. The decision meant she had to leave the house and she was evicted. Watch a video of the moment shared by @AssistantEbukaa:

South Africans split over Liema’s decision to leave BIg Brother Mzansi

Some South African viewers are in support of Liema’s decision. They believe she would not have won the show and that taking the R250 000 was in fact a wise decision that gave her an assured win.

“She wasn’t going to win the show, she made the right decision” said @Dskyisblue4sure.

Another viewer vehemently agreed with @Dskyisblue4sure’s opinion. @User4309129434 said:

“100% sure” Liema wasn’t going to win.

Was Liema confused and nervous about Big Brother’s offer?

Liema was an early favorite to win and many viewers defended her decision saying she wasn’t clear about the rules and made her decision out of nerves. @PatbonPhushudi said:

“She didn’t hear the instructions at all she was already confused when she entered that room her head was all over.”

X user Ntobeko speculated that the pressure and her age may have been factors in the decision making, and asked people to have more grace for the former Big Brother contestant.

“She doesn’t know what’s happening outside, that’s too much pressure for any person.”

Other users are not quite as convinced believing that Liema was well aware of the decision she was making and that the rules had been made clear and repeated. @SindiMsizi is just not buying it. She says:

“Each week she clearly understood the rules for arena games/tasks etc. She hardly raised her hand to clarify anything unlike other housemates. So now suddenly people believe she didn’t understand last night’s rules of the red button? Aiiii please, bye Li.”

“She asked the question and Big brother provided clear instructions, she fully understood plus she even looked at the Cheque of R250 000.” – @M_Ramphalo

One viewer believes the money got to Liema’s head and made her unable to hear anything else.

@Glender_lufuno questioned the integrity of the show itself saying “It feels staged mxm.”