Bissau and Motene �kiss� and make up
Mpho Tlale | Monday May 5, 2014 15:33
The duo has gone to the extent of embracing each other and shaking hands while posing for photographs together. The third party in the assault, David Baaitse, a local journalist was on hand and also got an apology from Gaobakwe.
Speaking at a joint press conference attended by the other two, Motene said that she can now come back to Botswana with no fear, because the issue has been settled. She said she did not want to live the rest of her life hating Botswana.
The actress described the incident in Gaborone as one of the most scaring events of her life. She said the damage was not just physical but emotional and psychological. However, she has decided to forgive Gaobakwe after he apologised to her. She hailed Gaobakwe saying that it takes a lot for a man to own up to his actions and apologise.
She expressed hope that the whole incident will serve as an example that with communication, problems can be resolved. “Dialogue needs to happen for issues to be confronted and talked about, whether it is comfortable or not it should not deter that in any way.” Motene said violence against women should be seriously addressed and should not just be a big issue when it happens to her or famous women.
Taking to her blog after making peace, she wrote: “After making an additional trip to Botswana and making copious amounts of phone calls to Botswana police, trying to find out the status of my case and not getting anywhere, Bissau finally called me. It was last Monday afternoon and he called to apologise for what had occurred in December.
To be honest I did not take him serious and he suggested that we meet, so he could make an appropriate apology and that he should take responsibility for his actions.
A mediation meeting was set up for April 30, 2014 at my lawyer’s office in Gaborone, Botswana. He was accompanied by his lawyer. Our meeting was an amicable one, where he acknowledged his wrongdoing and apologised for not acting in the appropriate manner. He also agreed to take care of my medical costs that I incurred from the surgery, hospital and post doctor visits.”
Gaobakwe said that he had not intentionally meant to hurt Motene but because he did, he had to face up to what happened. He said that he has decided to take responsibility for his actions without pointing fingers and offer an apology to Motene publicly for the humiliation he caused her. He said that although Motene got hurt while he was involved in a scuffle with someone else, this does not excuse the assault. He is not happy that she was not treated properly by everyone who could have helped her at the scene of the incident.
As part of the peace deal, Gaobakwe has agreed to support and raise funds for Motene’s newly formed NGO, Women in Arts, which will be set up in Botswana.
Gaobakwe said he wanted to apologise immediately after the assault, but circumstances were difficult on the night. “I tried to walk to her to apologise, then there was a scuffle again with other guys; then the security personnel forced me out of the hotel; I talked to Simba Mudereri of Gabz FM (who was in the company of Motene on the night), to offer my apologies. The situation was tense. But the next morning, Motene had taken a flight back to South Africa. On Monday, the first thing I did was to go to the South African embassy to offer my apologies.
She got hurt by accident when I was trying to beat up the guy who had spilled alcohol on me; I don’t beat up women, I have never done that in my entire life,” Gaobakwe told the media.