Socialite Tshepi Vundla and her ex-boyfriend entrepreneur and influencer Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane found themselves as the centre of attention in the ongoing dialogue against gender violence.
S’fiso Mthethwa, a friend of the alleged abuser Tebello Motsoane, took to Twitter to reflect and confess his guilt for not saying anything about a case of abuse that he had known about for years.
Tebello then decided to open up about the allegations and reveal his version of the truth. In a Twitter thread, he wrote the following:
It’s been a few days of introspection for me and I have concluded a few things about myself. I also realize that after these tweets things may spiral out of control, but things have to be said. This isn’t about who believes me, but about my truth.
For years I was in a toxic and public relationship with Tshepi Vundla. In this relationship, I [now] realize that I was abusive… but never ever physically. Through my disrespect, I hurt her many times and that is emotional and mental abuse.
Because of the climate in the country, I didn’t want to do this and whether or not it makes me look weak, I’m ready to state that Tshepi Vundla used to physically abuse me. I’ve been slapped, scratched, pushed, sworn at and had my mother sworn at. Never have I retaliated.
This has happened inside Cocoon, outside Taboo, at her mother’s house and in the parking lot at The Sands. Witnesses have been my friends, her friends, her mother, her sister, her brother-in-law, promoters, bouncers and strangers. Never have I hit her.
To my knowledge, Tshepi has never said that I hit [her]… but [she] hasn’t corrected those who believe that I have. I have lost friends, income and respect… but I carried on with life. I am being honest about what I now know to be psychological abuse,however she was my physical abuser.
I do not know if things like polygraph/lie-detector tests are even a real thing… but I will gladly take one. We all have our truth, this is mine.
This will be my last tweet for the sake of clarity and then I will log off like I’m being advised. I never ever hit Tshepi Vundla. Tshepi Vundla used to hit me. I am aware that I emotionally abused her and I take ownership of that. I will apologize to her personally for that.
