Madibe Mahlatji, well known as Leisa La Maisa, recently opened up on social media about longing for his daughter, Rethakgetje.
The 38-year-old self-made comedian from Ga-Mphahlele, Limpopo, took to his Facebook page to express the void he feels in his heart due to the separation from his beloved daughter.
This comes after breaking up with the mother of his daughter almost thirteen years ago.
The comedian shared that he and his daughter have lost precious years that can never be regained.
“We have lost so much time, Thakgi, and it kills me inside,” he wrote.
“I miss you with all of my heart. It has been 4 years since I saw you, and it feels like a lifetime. They took you away to hurt me. I love you and miss you.”
Leisa says he stayed with her daughter and raised her from the age of one until she was 10 years old.
His daughter is now 14years old, and he hasn’t been able to see her for the past four years. He disclosed that access had been denied by the child’s mother and grandmother.
In a subsequent live video on Facebook, Leisa La Maisa confronted societal expectations and stereotypes, highlighting the disbelief he encountered from some of the comments on his Facebook post when he shared his story.
“I was shocked to realize that posting about my story regarding my daughter’s situation was a wrong thing to do. I realized that our own society sometimes doesn’t listen to men, and what I did was unexpected, and I wasn’t supposed to do it.”
“I was supposed to keep silent and never show and express emotions because I am a black man, and no one will believe my story. I saw women say that it’s not possible that I can be denied access to my child. What did I do wrong?”, he said.