Bonang clears the air: 'If being strong, thorough & focused makes me a b*tch then that's fine'

Bonang Matheba is on a mission for global domination, after leading a discussion at the United Nations General Assembly last week and announcing her latest project as a co-producer on an international film, but told TshisaLIVE that she is still misunderstood, especially at home.

Bonang has been jet setting around the world, shooting international projects and collecting numerous awards across the African continent this year as one of the continent's most stylish celebs and leading media personalities.

She took a breather to speak to TshisaLIVE from New York recently and said that often the biggest misconceptions about her came from within Mzansi.

"There has been a number of misconceptions over the course of my career, especially in my country. In the beginning (of your career) you worry, halfway through you are like 'aaah' and when you get older you don't have time to correct people who don't want to understand you in the first place. Those close to you will always see the real you. My job is not to change the misconceptions but to live my life with purpose. Either you want to know me or you don't."

Among the many things she has been labelled, she said haters love to call her an Ice Queen or b*tch. Something she doesn't mind if it is because of her attitude to work.

"I don't know all the misconceptions about me. Nobody comes to me and says, 'Hey, wena,' and points them out to me. The only ones I do know is that I am an Ice Queen, that I am a b*tch. And that is okay. If being strong, thorough and knowing what you want makes me a b*tch then that is fine. Those aren't bad traits. If being focused means that I am not a pushover then that is okay."

"The old Bonang would just sit back and let people say what they want to say about her"

One place that she is definitely not a pushover is on social media. Queen B has been stinging back at haters with a vengeance over the last few months, even telling a fan recently to "feel free to f*ck off" for trolling her mother.

Bonang said she is just trying to protect herself while striving to stay classy.

"It wasn't a conscious decision. It was not something I thought about. But the more I grow, the more I protect myself. The old Bonang would just sit back and let people say what they want to say about her. I am still like that but if it gets to a point where I think that I need to answer it, I will. My responses are always incredibly classy, funny, sarcastic. I have a great sense of humour and I try to put that in my responses."

Bonang said she has moved her focus from trying to empower herself, to helping others through her bursary fund and other foundation work.

She said it wouldn't end there and the next few months would see her push other initiatives to empower young women.

"We (as those in the public eye) have to inspire and give young girls a platform to express themselves. We can provide the resources and platforms to help with that goal. It is something I am extremely passionate about and that I will keep pushing."