Strictly's Motsi Mabuse's tears amid heartbreaking confession after brother's death

Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse opened up about her brother's death some years ago and made a heartbreaking confession in a social media post on her birthday last year

Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse marked her 41st birthday last year with a touching Instagram post, sharing her deep appreciation for the life she's living. The South African-born sensation, who first rose to fame on Germany's version of Strictly and then joined the UK series as a judge in 2019, took fans through her journey alongside her sister Oti Mabuse, who also made the leap from the German to the British show.

Despite their glittering careers, the Mabuse sisters have experienced profound loss. Motsi revealed the heartache of losing their older half-brother Neo to suicide when they were children in South Africa. In an emotional birthday reflection, Motsi expressed: "I am extremely thankful, that kind of thankfulness that has you in tears."

She opened up about her fears following her brother's death, saying: "When my brother died at 18 I was afraid of life, I was convinced I would not even make it to 18." Ending on a note of optimism and affection, Motsi added: "Another year I get to be a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend and my circle of trust has increased in size but no intensity", as reported by the Express.

Motsi has also opened up about her family's experience with tragedy and prejudice in her memoir that has hit the shelves in Germany. With a title translating to 'Chili in the Blood: My Dance Through Life,' she dives into the aftermath of her brother, Neo's suicide.

In the book, she confided, "Because the people of Africa are very religious and superstitious, something bad arose in our neighbourhood. With the suicide of Neo, our family was seen as one where there was a negative energy."

On top of grappling with personal tragedy, Motsi detailed in her book how racial tensions during her time in South Africa also left a mark on her formative years, noting that riots were a clear indicator of unrest. "Then the next day, when I was back on the school bus, I could see it was still burning everywhere and cars had been knocked over. I think all the changes had overwhelmed [Neo] a little bit, everything had seemed difficult to him."

Neo's tragic death came just after Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990, a time of massive transformation in South Africa, occurring just months after the birth of her sister, Oti.

If you've been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact Samaritans in the UK and Ireland on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie