Hip Hop can learn a thing or two from Oprah.
After hearing of allegations of physical and sexual abuse at a school she built—funded by millions dollars of her own money—the queen of daytime talk didn’t hit YouTube to make a video or hop on the radio to air out her concerns—she went straight to the source.
Oprah addressed reporters in South Africa yesterday for the first time since the allegations hit the media last week.
“When I first heard about it I spent about a half-hour going around my house crying,” she said of her reaction to the news.
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The 53-year-old talk show host didn’t remain in the states for long, heading to South Africa to spearhead her own independent investigation. Despite the serious nature of the charge, Oprah vows to not let this matter derail the vision she has for the exclusive, all-girl school.
“What I know is that no one — not the accused nor any persons — can destroy the dream that I have held and the dream that each girl continues to hold for herself at the school,” she said during the press conference. “And I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to make sure that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls becomes a safe and nurturing and enriched setting that I have envisioned, a place capable of fostering a full measure of these girls’ productivity, creativity and of their humanity.”
Whatever is necessary may be an understatement. This week, a suspect was taken into custody—and charged over the incidents. 27-year-old former dormitory matron VirginiaTiny Mokgobo was hit with 13 counts of indecent assault, assault and criminal injury. Her victims: at least six students between 13-15 years of age and another 23-year-old.
She entered a plea of not guilty.
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Oprah—who has also been the victim of sexual abuse—has taken swift action, removing several more school employees in addition to the accused.
“We are removing the dorm parents, and as I have said to the girls, (we are) cleaning house from top to bottom,” she said.
To prevent any future incidents, Oprah provided all the girls with cell phones so they can contact her directly. She also says that this incident will not tarnish her image or reputation.
“I don’t think as a school we have failed the girls. I feel there are systems within the school that failed the girls. I don’t feel that it has harmed my personal reputation because I have done nothing wrong.”
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The Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls-South Africa started as a pledge to Nelson Mandela—the first democratically elected president of the country—of $10 million dollars to build a school for girls.
The final tab for the school, which includes 26 buildings with computer resources, a beauty salon, and yoga rooms, was $40 million dollars.
She plans to open another school in the area, a co-ed campus that will house an additional thousand students.
Now that’s keeping it real.
