 Basetsun Akumalo talks about reckoning with yourself. Starting a conversation with authors, TV personality Basetsun Akumalo believes no one has the right to tell your story, only you do. Basi said this at a Nelson Mandela Foundation event on Thursday where she was joined by authors Sylvester Shoke, Anathion Gaii, and Dilka Mandela, and Candace Mama, who recently launched their own books. There's a quote I love that says, lies told into history live as truth. It's important to own your own voice and take it back because if you don't, that will live as truth for generations to come. She said the reason why she penned her story was to encourage other women to rise against issues such as gender-based violence and other challenges they may be facing. To give a face to what depression looks like after seven miscarriages. It was to give a face to what a business failure, spectacular business failures, looked like. It was to give a face to what cyberbullies do. That also looks like Basetsun Akumalo, all of those things have also happened to her. I too can be able to rise up from where I am. I too can be able to find my voice again and strength again. She reassured the audience there was great power in holding on and said, Pain ends. Hold on.