She is the latest housemate to be evicted from Big Brother Mzansi house, leaving 10 competitive contestants behind.
It’s the end of the race for Polokwane-born and Pretoria-based student athlete, Nthabiseng "Nthabii" Mothutsi.
The 27-year-old said she felt “overwhelmed” but was also “content and happy” following her eviction.
When asked by Big Brother Mzansi host, Lawrence Maleka, who she was going to miss the most in the house, Nthabii said it was her bestie, Mphowabadimo. “We’re two people with very different personalities, but we got along. We understood each other and that’s actually the person that kept me going.”
But it was that close bond with Mphowabadimo which probably cost Nthabii her place in the game, as fellow Housemates cited her being Mpho’s alleged minion as the reason they were nominating her for eviction.
When asked by Lawrence if she was indeed being controlled by Mphowabadimo, she said, “That is obviously not true. I just was drawn to her more.”
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Nthabii had a soft spot for Mphowabadimo and they spent hours gossiping and laughing. “Mpho definitely deserves to win. She has a lot on her back. People have a perception about sangomas and she is there to rewrite that and make the picture understandable,” she says.
“She is teaching people that sangomas are human, they drink, they party and date. Being on the show and exposing herself says a lot for me. She also has so many knives on her back from almost everyone and all she wants to do is do well for her son and her family.”
Nthabii would love to see Tulz get evicted next. “He is very manipulative. He doesn’t allow people to think on their own, and he has a lot of influence,” she says.
“He has never been up for nomination. He never gave people a chance to like whoever on his own. Sis Tamara saved him and went around and didn't return the favour and that was bad. I don’t like him and there is nothing cool about him.”
Nthabii says her relationship with Terry changed over time. “In the beginning, I didn't like Terry. She was too loud and jumped too much into conversations that didn't involve her. I don’t like people who are louder than me because I know I am loud, but I eventually warmed up to her. In the outside world I would have cut her off a long time ago, but we became closer.”
Nthabii is open and clear about her feelings towards the housemates. “I was civil and cordial with people. I kept I mature, even with the ones that I didn't like until they stepped on my toes. There were moments when I stepped into the room when they were discussing me, and they would be quiet. They couldn't come to me. Their dislike for me was Hotspot from Tulz. He has a lot of influence.”
Nthabii says Venus was never her favourite. “Venus and I just don't click, but I was still okay with her. I had nothing against anyone in the house. Having to like or dislike means discomfort for me. I wouldn't want to live like that.”
She was also drawn to Themba and they have once locked lips in a passionate kiss. “I like Themba, he was my crush, “she admits.
“I can’t explain what fascinates me about him, but he is funny and I like someone who makes me laugh. I had a different perspective of him when I came into the house, I couldn't look him in the eye. He has mood swings but there was a lot of chemistry between him and me. But the attraction was also influenced by being confined to the four walls.”
After having shared a kiss with Themba, Nthabii is nervous to see her boyfriend of five months.
“I am very nervous about what he will say about the kiss. But, going in, he encouraged me to be myself. We were still at the 'getting to know each other' phase of the relationship when I joined Big Brother. So, he got to know me by watching me on screen and I’m curious to know what he thinks of me. I had long gone for the audition when I met him and he was okay with it,” she says.
“I just hope I still have a relationship and I can't wait to hear what he thought about my being in the house, but I think I represented myself well.”
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Despite her premature exit, she holds no grudges against those who voted her out of the Big Brother house. She is “content” with how she played the game. “I am happy with the way I played the game. I was always true to myself and I am happy to be out of the house and to start focusing on my career and what I love, which is sport.”
Nthabii went into the house intending to meet new people and expose herself to a different experience, she says. “I wanted to challenge myself and I did that.”
Now she plans to focus her energy on her career in sport. “I would love to be involved in brand association, so some modelling. I have great legs and my hair is beautiful and I want to be able to build a career with that, but mostly be involved in sports whether through radio on television. If an acting opportunity comes by, I might grab it, “she says.
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Born in Polokwane, Limpopo, she is the only child raised by her mother and grandparents. “I grew up with my cousins as my siblings because my mother raised her siblings’ children as her own” until she went to live in Pretoria at the University of Pretoria where she studied Sports Science but later dropped up and is currently doing her second year in Sports Management and Leisure at ETA College.
“Sports has always been my life, “she says.
She started playing as a teenager. “I was about 14 years old when I started playing netball. I didn’t take it seriously in the beginning. I was just doing it because I had to. When I was 16 years old, I was called to play for under 19 provincial, and Then I started taking it seriously and fell in love with it and played professionally,” she says.
“I have been playing professional netball ever since and travelled competing with different teams.”
She is looking forward to going back to playing for her team, The Limpopo Baobabs.
Big Brother Mzansi season 3 is broadcast live 24/7 on DStv Channel 198. The daily highlights show is broadcast on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161), Tuesdays to Fridays at 22h30. Sunday eviction shows are broadcast on Mzansi Magic at 18h00.
