In his first interview following his walk-off during a live rugby show a Supersport, Ashwin Willemse spoke on The Eusebius McKaiser Show on 702 on Tuesday.
In a lengthy interview, where he spoke about obtaining his master's degree, growing up without a father he ultimately broke the silence about the incident involving Naas Botha and Nick Mallet, describing his silence as "legitimate pain".
We weren't comfortable with the terms of reference, we felt it did not allow us to deal with everything we wanted to deal with and we decided not to participate... and it was not an appropriate forum
"I attended the hearing and clarified with advocate Vincent Maleka that we weren't comfortable with the terms of reference, we felt it did not allow us to deal with everything we wanted to deal with and we decided not to participate... and it was not an appropriate forum."
"I wanted to deal with this matter appropriately... and I realise it was not a light matter... it's legitimate pain". He went on to say he understood the magnitude of that moment and that is why he wanted to deal with it in the "correct way".
"My silence was me allowing the process to unfold, up until the point where we could deal with this matter in the appropriate way...I indicated right from the onset to Supersport and we've not been granted that opportunity".
Willemse also went on to speak out on how he reached out to both Nick and Naas for reconciliation as the matter started to influence his family and that no doors have been closed.
"SuperSport has indicated that they would now send (the matter) to the Human Right Commission, based on the report and the findings of Advocate Maleka and that process... so we will honour that and participate in that process, ensuring we can deal with that matter because I will be allowed to go there and engage it at that appropriate forum. And in that process hopefully, restore my dignity."