17/11/2007 19:26 - (SA)
Family gangs up against BBA2 winner’s wife
DOMINIC CHIMHAVI
THE love triangle involving Big Brother Africa 2 (BBA2) winner Richard and the two women in his life, Angolan contestant Tatiana and his estranged wife Ricki, continues to unfold, a week after he won the $100 000 (R672 000) prize money.
Now Richard’s family have closed ranks and are urging Tanzania’s hottest celebrity to divorce his wife for betraying and not supporting him during his 98-day stay in the enclosure.
To add more drama to the ongoing saga, this week’s homecoming party by the sponsors to welcome the winner, which was scheduled for this weekend, has been postponed to next week.
According to the spokesperson for M-Net in Tanzania, Lucy Kihwele, the party was postponed to give Richard an opportunity to settle his personal life.
“He is staying in a hotel until next week. We want to give him an opportunity to talk to Ricki and see if they can make up,” said Kihwele.
In the meantime, Richard’s father, Vincent Bezuidenhout, and his three siblings, sister Linda and brothers Edward and Louis, are all rallying around the BBA2 winner, urging him to part ways with his Canadian wife, arguing that she is not good enough for the Tanzanian golden boy.
“Even our neighbours are supporting us on this one. She must go. I have made up my mind, she is not good for the family” said a defiant Vincent, who was born in Uganda 67 years ago. He has five children – three boys and two girls.
The first-born, Brenda, passed away a few years ago, and Linda, who accompanied her twin brother Louis to last Sunday’s show in Johannesburg, is married and living in America.
Another brother, Edward, is a heavyweight professional boxer, and now doubling as Richard’s bodyguard.
Vincent’s mother, Kalinga, is a Tutsi from Rwanda. Cornelius, Richard’s granddad, is South African.
Richard’s mother died 14 years ago, making him very close to his father, Vincent.
Cornelius left Pretoria for Kanyonza in Uganda to open a diamond mine where he is a renowned businessman.
Vincent, who moved to Tanzania in the 70s, is an electrical engineer and has a farm outside Dar es Salaam. He says his anger against Ricki was fuelled on Sunday night when the Canadian allegedly insulted Richard as they watched him talk to BBA presenter Kabelo about his feelings for Tatiana.
“Ricki came home so that we could watch the final together,” said Vincent. “Soon after mentioning the name Tatiana, Ricki just hit the roof. She became angry and called him a pig.
“I was not happy with her calling my son a pig. I also lost it. I literally kicked her out of my house and she took a taxi. I don’t know where she went but that was the least of my worries.”
The elder Bezuidenhout said the only words he heard when Ricki was leaving was that they would meet her in court where she would demand half of the $100 000 winner’s cash.
“If he defies our call and reconciles with his wife, Richard will literally be placing a noose around his neck.
“Tanzania has lots of beautiful women whom he can marry – or even Tatiana,” he insisted.
“This woman is bad news for Richard,” said Linda, supporting her father. “She left for Canada, stayed there for more than two months, only to come back one week before the final.
“She wrote letters undermining my brother, calling him a womaniser. I have one of the letters and I can show it to you,” said an agitated Linda.
Louis said when they had asked Ricki to come with them to the airport to welcome Richard on Wednesday, she refused. “What type of a wife is she, who does not come to welcome her husband, you ask yourself?” said Louis.
While Richard has asked either his father or brother Louis to speak for him while he recovers from the hangover, Ricki was this week quoted in a Tanzanian blog saying she wanted to speak to Richard before giving interviews.
“I’m not prepared to talk to the media about anything regarding my future with Richard, myself, Tatiana or anything else,” said Ricki, whom Louis says has been to Richard’s hotel a couple of times.
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