Kwaito star Zola walked the streets of Mthatha last week in search of funds for a new library.

Zola, who hosts the reality show Zola Seven, came to the rescue of Yolanda Mqoboli, who begged the star to help build a library for the children of Mthatha.

As with many of the requests he has fulfilled as host of Zola 7, the star from Soweto did not waste time. Mqoboli had written to Zola last year and he was back to deliver the goods.

In just 10 months time, Mthatha might have a R5-million state-of-the-art library to serve the city and seven surrounding townships.

Since Zola 7 first aired on SABC1 in May 2003 the star, who played Papa Action in the hit teen drama Yizo Yizo, has made many South Africans' dreams come true.

Watched by 1,4-million viewers each week and aired in several African countries, Zola has previously helped deliver a baby, managed a farm and helped a fugitive from justice hand himself over to police.

Zola arrived for a three-day visit last Tuesday, starting with a meeting with the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality before hitting potential sponsors for the ambitious R5m library he plans to build on a vacant plot near Ngangelizwe High School that lies between Ikhwezi and Ngangelizwe townships.

The star of the Oscar-winning Tsotsi did not arrive empty-handed, though. He had already collected R2-million for the envisaged state-of-the-art library.

Mqoboli, who had written to Zola last year, had brought the plight of the libraries in Ngangelizwe and in the Mthatha city centre to his attention. The materials in the libraries were outdated and children were not allowed to check books out of the library.

"My concern was young children, because there are many schools around Mthatha but most of them do not have libraries," said Mqoboli.

Zola, otherwise known as Bongani Dlamini, did not waste time in pulling in the sponsors.

By 7.30am on Thursday, Noxolo Abrahams-Ntantiso, MEC for Arts and Culture, was busy turning the sod on the plot.

But, the man who makes people's dreams come true, saved a few harsh words for the pupils of Ngangelizwe High who had come out to watch their hero.

"Why are you not at school?" he asked one of the children, who had come with his uncle.

When the uncle tried to find a suitable excuse - including the fact that they could not afford school fees, Zola quickly interrupted him.

"I really don't like this. You know very well that the law prohibits anyone from expelling a child from school because of school fees.

"You are just one of the people who make other people to look at us and say 'there is another black failure'," Zola told a clearly uncomfortable uncle.

He then unsuccessfully tried to persuade Ngangelizwe pupils, who were standing on the other side of the fence, to attend classes. Instead, they tried to move closer to him.

Among his guests at the sod-turning ceremony were Vincent Park Exclusive Books' manager Colleen Whitfield, whose company has offered to donate books worth R10000.

Building material retailer CashBuild donated R150000 worth of material.

A design done by a local firm of architects was shown to the public. The provincial Department of Public Works has pledged to construct the library.

But it was Zola's surprise announcement of an R850000 donation by cellphone company Vodacom that ended the day on a high note.

Then the kwaito star was off to the SAfm mobile broadcasting unit, challenging potential donors to take out their money.

Zola 7 producer Unathi Memela described Mqoboli's request as "selfless and the biggest project to be undertaken in terms of money".

• The show will be aired on SABC1 next month.