“I curse the day I gave birth to you”, said a distraught mother of Tsietsi, an inmate who is currently serving 36-years at Bethal Correctional Services.
Tsietsi was featured on Mzansi Magic’s docu-reality show Yobe, arguably one of the most heart-wrenching shows on TV.
Tsietsi’s mother expressed her disappointment at her son’s behaviour since childhood. The first time Tsietsi was in trouble with the law was when he was in Grade 6.
The mother insisted that she feared her son so much that she wished she dies before his son is released from prison.
To pray that you die before your own flesh and blood is released from prison, talk about fear. #Yobe
— Valencia Sibiya (@ValenciaSibiya) January 8, 2019
His mother set social media into a frenzy when she said she was "afraid" her son might even rape her.
"I was afraid that he might even rape me".
Our parents are not suppose to live in fear.
Imagine thinking that your child might rape. Yoooh #YobeMzansi
— LadyPS (@PatiencesNdlovu) January 8, 2019
Season 2 of Yobe premiered on Tuesday night with the story of Tsietsi, who is currently was arrested in 2005 for various crimes including armed robbery.
It was during the robbery that Tsietsi and accomplices stabbed Mr. Mpanza who fortunately lived to tell the events of the fateful day.
The robbers took Mr. Mpanza’s cellphone, money, and a firearm but it was Tsietsi who insisted that his now late friend to shoot Mr Mpanza, however, the gun jammed twice.
Following the events of the day, Mr. Mpanza was hospitalised and Tsietsi who is now serving 13 years in prison requested to speak to Mr. Mpanza in an attempt to ask for forgiveness.
Yobe which started airing in 2018 kept viewers weeping with each episode as offenders and their victims detail some of the gruesome acts of crime in South Africa.
The offenders get an opportunity to engage with victims of their crimes or their victims' families in an attempt to redeem themselves and ask for forgiveness through a state program called Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD).
Mr Mpanza asked Tsietsi if he was genuinely seeking forgiveness or he was using the VOD program for the sake of early release, to which Tsietsi insisted that he was sorry for all his wrongdoings.
His mother also forgave him. "I'm his mother, I can't forsake him," she said.
Taking to social media, some viewers said Tsietsi didn't show any remorse, while some said the parents must be careful what the name their children as Tsietsi means trouble in Sesotho.
#Yobe I don’t trust tsietsi,I think he just want to get out pic.twitter.com/74ddGLLTrs
— 🌸🌼MISS TABOO🌸🌼 (@MISSEVEDEE) January 8, 2019
We should be mindful of the names we give to our children, because they can come to fruition. #Yobe
— PheladiXaba (@PheladiXaba) January 8, 2019
Those words that maoledi said... Yhoooo I felt them, imagine your parent genuinely regretting the day she gave birth to u... 😔 #Yobe pic.twitter.com/vGK25eo3zi
— Pride_Goetsi (@goetsi_mooley) January 8, 2019
It’s unfair to blame the mother for naming her son Tsietsi. We don’t know her reasons. What if the father gave him the name or he was named after someone.Tsietsi was born horrible that’s all, he even said it himself.He does not have a heart! I pray for Tsietsi’s mom... 💔 #Yobe
— Nomhle (@NomhleBeeDee) January 8, 2019