Sonia Mbele Refuses To “…Raise A Man Like His Father.”
Social media was abuzz this week when news broke out that Donell Sedibe, son of South African actress and producer Sonia Mbele and ex-husband Leslie Sedibe, was being accused of physically assaulting his girlfriend Reokeditswe Makete. The accusations came to light when Makete took to Instagram with allegations of Sedibe’s abusive behaviour towards her, documented in a series of posts.
She alleges that he got violent with her when she confronted him about his infidelity. One of her posts shared that Sedibe had logged into her Instagram and was deleting the posts that exposed him. She further stated that he’d previously dragged her around the house and threatened her life. Makete added that she planned on pressing charges against Sedibe. The young couple is no stranger to the public eye, as the pair trended earlier this year after they announced they were expecting a baby.
But it was how Sonia Mbele handled the situation that had many applaud the actress. Naturally, Mbele’s name trended across social media platforms, after releasing her media statement on the matter.
In her statement, she condemned her son’s behaviour and expressed her support and empathy towards Makete.
Parts of the statement read: “I would like to reassure her that she still has my love and full support,” she said, further adding that Sedibe will “face his demons” and “let the law take its course. I refuse to raise a man like his father,” she concluded.
Often mothers of abusive sons react in a defensive manner even when the evidence of abuse is blatant. This creates an environment that perpetuates violence against victims and never a space for them to feel safe or believed. The annual 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse has kicked off and every year it seems as though such cases worsen around this time.
Recent statistics show that “over 13 000 women were victims of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm between July and September 2022.” The stats merely serve as quantitative evidence of the pain and suffering women are subjected to everyday in this country.
Praises and applause flooded social media, for speaking out against her son’s actions instead of protecting him as many would have. A fact proven in our society.
“I respect Sonia Mbele for the manner she handled this entire situation, unlike mothers who’d go above and beyond to protect their children and disregard the victims’ feelings,” a Twitter user shared.