This morning as I woke up from a deep and beautiful sleep, I can only but feel the relief and enjoyment of being able to exhale. Last year I was injured during an unfortunate incident that occurred in Botswana where I was punched in the face, which lead to nasal surgery. The incident took place at The Lansmore, Masa square hotel where a fight broke out and I was punched in the face accidentally. The punch was not aimed at me but at David Baitse, who was standing next to me.The events that occurred after, took me through an emotional and psychological roller coaster and I’m happy to say, the matter has been resolved.
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 30 April 2014, at my lawyer’s office in Gaborone, Botswana. He was accompanied by is 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.
The week after the incident happened, Tata Madiba had passed away. On the Sunday after his death was a day of reflection for the world, I lay in bed watching documentaries and tribute pouring in for this phenomenal man. Madiba left us with an amazing legacy and taught us all so many things and forgiveness being the most important and difficult. It was that day I decided I would need to find forgiveness in my heart for Bissau. I prayed and processed my pain, both physically and emotionally. My December holiday i did a lot of resting, crying, praying wondering why this had happened but more importantly focusing on finding that inner peace again.
South Africans must recall the terrible past so that we can deal with it, forgiving where forgiveness is necessary but never forgetting: Nelson Mandela.
So when the apology came through, the past five months of my challenges, struggling and dealing were finally coming to end. He made a comment, that the incident created a lot of attention on him where he should have supplied empathy and support to me. This is common in many assault and abuse cases. I thank him for acknowledging that.
From every negative situation, one can derive positivity and he suggested that this matter is no different. He has agreed that, in the future he will be working with various women’s organisations. NGO’s across the globe struggle with financial support and creating awareness, he has agreed that he will create synergies with NGOs to see where he could assist with their needs.
Since I had received a lot of support from Gender affairs and Emang Basadi in Botswana, perhaps he could lend assistance there as well as the Kagisano Society women’s shelter.
As I asked for assistance from my government via twitter, the incident went viral and I received messages, comments, and retweets etc form across the globe. My host Berry Heart received many calls from around the world, offering their assistance and support and checking if I was safe and alright, she received calls from women in the entertainment industry such as Connie Ferguson and Kuli Roberts and this sparked an idea. Women have had a history of not supporting each other but this was different, she saw how we collectively we can do so much more. We then had dialogue with other women in the arts and we have now formed a synergy titled: Women in arts. WIA is made up of women in the arts space, whether it is singing, poetry, acting, dancing etc. We aim to use our craft and skills to create awareness and create a better and harmonious environment and more importantly we intend to be the voice for so many voiceless women. We need to create dialogue in areas where women have never been allowed to express their feelings, we want to address issues that governments should take further and create change. We want to give inspiration to girls and women and prompt them to live their best lives possible.
The social network attention also created a lot of negative and skeptic comments. One message that came through that really hit home for me was from a woman who tweeted; ‘Women are beaten up everyday, why is it a big thing because it happened to Rosie Motene’. For many days I thought about this and realised that the statement was hurtful but very true. Women are being beaten ever day, in fact every second, why is there only selective noise? This made me realise that we still have a long way to go and that the problem of abuse worldwide needs greater attention.
As I move on and rise like a phoenix from the ashes, I’m grateful and give thanks to many people, including:
The team from Proudly SA
Mr. Clayson Monyela, South Africa’s head of Public Diplomacy.
Mr. Maurizio Mariano.
Ms. Corra Skenjana (Admin Attache) and Ms Mauku (Home Affairs) both of the SA High Commission in Gaborone who attended to the matter on the morning of the incident, they insisted that the police take my statement and transported me to the airport for my emergency flight home.
The department of women, children and people living with disabilities, with he National Council Against Gender-based Violence for connecting me to Interpol.
The SA high commission to Botswana.
Mrs. Wendy Griffiths who assisted with my emergency response.
The V-day team: Cecile Lipworth, Barbara Mhangami and Gina Shmukler.
Lebo and Simba who tried to get the police to attend to the matter and for taking care of collecting my belongings from my hotel and meeting me at the airport before my departure.
Nicole and Sheldon Artman for taking care of me the week of my surgery.
Mbali Kgosidintsi and her family, for offering their assistance on the ground.
Mme. Setswaelo
Emang Basadi
Gender affairs.
Hlomla Dandala for alerting Phat Joe and Pearl Thusi and METROFM for allowing them to broadcast my plea on air.
The RGB team.
The Barbuzano’s
The Ferguson’s
Akin Omotoso and Katarina Hedren.
To all my friends and family, thank you for your support, prayers and love.
My legal team at Radipati and co.
If I have left anyone out, please now that your love is appreciated.
To my powerful, soul sister Berry Heart. Your strength and love is astounding. I know you endured a lot during that time and I thank you for standing your ground. I thank you for your honesty and bravery.
And finally I thank Bissau for standing up like a man and taking responsibility.
Aluta Continua.
For more information on Women In Arts: WIA, on what we plan to achieve and how you can assist, please contact
Rosie Motene; Rosie@rosiemotene.biz
Berry heart: Berryheart@googlemail.com
Women’s organisations in South Africa and Botswana.
POWA: www.powa.co.za
Department of women, children and people living with disabilities: www.dwcpd.gov.za
Emang Basadi: www.emagbasadi.org.bw
Gender affairs: www.gov.bw
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don’t you take it awful hard ‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines Diggin’ in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.
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