Letsile Tebogo's family says it is concerned with the manner in which the media reported his mother, Seratiwa's death, describing it as 'insensitive.'
Mainstream and social media broke the news of Seratiwa's passing on Sunday but the family was displeased. "While we go through this time of immense grief and loss, we are deeply troubled by the actions of certain media outlets responsible for sharing the news of her passing without consulting our family first. We acknowledge that Letsile is in the public eye and so is his part of life but this breach of trust and blatant regard for his emotions and privacy has only added to our anguish during this difficult period," Ralph Kgabanyane said in a statement on behalf of the family. "We condemn this insensitive behaviour of those who chose to prioritize breaking the news over empathy. It was in the best interest for our beloved icon that the news of his mother's passing is not made public while he was away representing our country. His emotional well being should have been respected above all else," the statement further reads. Tebogo was away in the United States where he had just participated at the Los Angeles Grand Prix, finishing second in the 100m on Saturday. Later that day, the star athlete scooped two awards at the Botswana Sports Awards, including the sportsperson of the year accolade. The family said Seratiwa's funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.
