He has been implicated in the abuse allegations made by actor and reality show star Mohale Motaung against his ex-husband Somizi Mhlongo.
Feather Awards founder Thami Kotlolo and TT Mbha were named by Mohale as some of the people who were aware of the alleged abuse in his relationship with Idols judge Somizi Mhlongo.
In a tell-all interview with Aldrin Sampear on Showmax, Mohale told the broadcaster that after an alleged abuse incident that happened in their home, Thami came in and facilitated bringing the couple together again.
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In a statement, Thami says he has never condoned violence.
“I am shocked and dismayed by the inclusion of my name in the Showmax special ‘Mohale On The Record” with Mohale Motaung,” Thami says.
“I have a career rooted in advocacy and activism for queer people in South Africa. The truth is, I arrived at who I am today having endured domestic abuse in a relationship that lasted many years in my youth.”
Thami stresses that he did not encourage Mohale to return to his home with Somizi after the alleged abuse.
“Finding the strength to leave that relationship and build a life of my own landed me in working closely with issues of queer rights advocacy in my personal, professional, and inter-relational life. This is why I am immensely triggered by the claims that I have condoned abuse in relationships close to me over the years.”
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Thami admits to facilitating a meeting between the two parties at his house following an altercation, it was purely for the purpose of having both parties share their side of the story from their perspective.
“At no point was a suggestion made by myself that Mr. Motaung returns to a home or relationship where there was ongoing abuse, and he knows this. That would have been a decision he took outside of my influence,” he says.
“While I applaud Mohale for speaking out, I would have preferred to be afforded a right of reply in the instances where my name is implicated, especially as an enabler of abuse. This goes directly against everything I stand for, as evidenced by the work I do in this regard.”
