Once again, another Motswana has made Batswana proud by scooping the Survivor Africa prize, which comes with a whooping USD 100, 000, (P621, 000).Tebby Gasennelwe was announced the survivor and winner of the tough competition which kicked off with 12 contestants from eight different African countries. The 24-year-old Gasennelwe was overcome by joy and excitement as the votes were finally announced following a two-hour finale.

Gasennelwe, who looked relaxed even before the votes were announced, received the most positive votes against the other finalist, Jeremiah Zulu, from Zambia. In the final moments of the game when the two contestants were trying hard to convince the six voting contestants who had been previously evicted, Gasennelwe, when asked what she intended to do with the money, said she would donate 10 percent to charity. She added that she would also take her mother on a vacation, something she had promised to do if she won. She said she would use part of the money to return to school and invest the rest.

Her competitor Zulu related that he was planning to invest the money in his company and to fly to London to see the woman he loves.

When the finalists were given more opportunity to convince the jury to vote for them, Jeremiah used strategies that could have easily won the jury's sympathy, the most touching being that he was diagnosed with the same disease that killed his mother. In her last plea for votes Gasennelwe, an entertainment journalist and an assistant editor for a local magazine, explained that she had come to Panama to play the game, and that when she does something she does it to perfection. She described it as tough and requiring cunning. Gasennelwe explained that if she offended anyone she was sorry. She concluded by saying that it was just a game and that it was uplifting to know everyone.

In interviews Gasennelwe related that her weakness during the game was getting too close to certain people and somehow it made it hard for her to vote them out even if they were deserving. She especially liked the composition of the jury, saying that it was good that it had more men than women as she had a good bond with the 'guys'. She noted that if she were one of the jury, she would have taken into consideration how one played the game, explaining that she respected that and that was her goal.

"If you didn't show any strategy or take many risks, I wouldn't give you my vote. If you didn't win any Immunity or Reward Challenges, what are we here for?" she noted.

She explained that the toughest part of the game was just to stay focused and remember why one was there.

"You had to set your goals from the beginning. It was not a holiday. I remembered my goal everyday," she said.

Gasennelwe said she had discovered that she was tougher than she thought she was, adding that she now looked more at her strengths and put her weaknesses aside.