Carl Maswoswa

It is not surprising and wrong to say, at some point we get overwhelmed by the many responsibilities life confronts us with.

What worsens it is the technology we have, we are constantly bombarded with news and trying to stay in the loop of what is happening; it is just stress on its own.

Something is always making headlines.

In a study carried out to identify how long a time an individual could spend without their smartphones in the 21st Century; one out of the five individuals successfully passed the test. Are you able to say today, I need to stop looking at my phone and have it on airplane mode and look at my own well-being then carry on later?

Even the machinery and technology we so much applaud, also have a point it needs to be at rest.

Many people are at the verge of losing themselves because of burnout; — the responsibility to put food on the table, making that business alive each day, getting good grades, pleasing the congregation, and being that leader everyone looks up to, but are you okay? Self-care is not taken seriously thus a lot befalls us simply because we lack the prerogative to say enough is enough; that job, congregation, business, position or institution is not everything. Your well-being matters above all. I remember one year in December refusing to go home, so as to catch up on work; finishing reports and putting every document in place.

The work was too much that I managed to finish two thirds of it. Upon completion, I was excited to be ahead. What stood ahead of me I couldn’t even imagine! I had a series of mental breakdowns, burnout and presenteeism (coming to work even when you are sick) because I could not identify my stop and say this is my bus stop.

How then do you identify this?

Are there days you feel like not getting out of bed, days you feel empty that is, physically and emotionally drained, you dread going to work, you are stressed, depressed and easily irritated, anything and everything that happens gets under your skin; it may be a sign that there is an underlying cause to this of course, coupled with other factors. In the event you feel this way, you need to ask yourself, what is happening to me?

Many a time, we do not want to hold ourselves accountable, asking ourselves those difficult questions that make us uncomfortably naked before ourselves. No one is going to tell you that you need to take a break or your well-being is important, the decision lies with you.

Do not wait until it is too late. You may make savings for your car insurance, funeral policy or reserve money for a party; not that it is wrong or unethical but are you being selfish as well with your time and wellness. When last did you go to a quiet place and listened to your thoughts?

The 21st Century Dilemma

In the abyss of trying to provide, serve or take responsibility for an institution life can happen just like that thus if you do not take inventory of the activities that surround you it can indirectly affect you in a bad way.

Who tells the Pastor or Bishop that you need time off with yourself and your family? I was having a conversation with a friend of mine (name withheld) and asked, “how is home”. The friend replied unconcerned with teary eyes and an uneasy cough at the start and eventually responded, “my parents are rarely home; I can count the number of days they are with me, they do not even know my sporting interests and even when I am stressed, I do not know who to go to, as they are always busy.”

Even the social fabric is fading away in our culture, some families no longer have get-togethers as a family to share wisdom and have fun. Some get to meet at funerals mesmerised and say, “oooh you are alive”, then they go back to their busy lives. Do we need time out?

How do you then change your situation?

As human beings we need to be well spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, socially and intellectually, just to mention a few. In the event these areas are not convincingly correct or in order, then you need to do a review and ask yourself how you can make it better. Life may have its own challenges and difficulties but you to have to find and strike a balance.

Throw yourself in the deep and learn about mental health challenges and how you can advance your knowledge in mental literacy. In this day and age, you may think it is cliché but it is important to do so. Find comfort in talking to people you value and that can assist you with non-judgemental eyes and share your problems, connecting with them emotionally. When last did you have a sleep routine of five to eight hours or you are sleeping most of the day; you need a sleeping routine that helps your body to have maximum rest to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

Are you grateful and telling yourself you are beautiful? When last did you go to church, are you in sync with your maker? Are you making use of those off and leave days that are due to you? Do you just say I will see what the day has to offer, that mentality and attitude are destructive, have a plan for the day, months and years to follow! Ninety-nine of the problems that happen to us are either because we do not want to confront it, do not have technical know-how or we are too tired to be holding ourselves accountable. Before you stop, know your bus stop.

The writer, Carl Tanyaradzwa Maswoswa is the Founder of a Coaching and Mentoring Club at the National University of Science and Technology in partnership with International Coaching and Mentoring Foundation. Carl also has a slot on Skyz Metro FM Radio in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe as a resource person touching on self-development.

CLAUSES, like phrases, are groups of related words but unlike phrases, they have a subject and a verb. Key concept: A clause is a group of words with its own subject and a verb.

Independent and subordinate: These are two basic kinds of clauses; independent and subordinate clauses. An independent clause can stand by itself as a complete sentence. All complete sentences must contain at least one independent clause. A subordinate clause cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence. It can only be part of a sentence.

For example: We visited Germany which is a country in Europe, for two weeks. Because he woke up late, he missed the flight.

They have decided that you study more. There are three different kinds of subordinate clauses: adjectives, adverbs and nouns.

Adjective clauses modify nouns or pronouns in ways often not possible with one-word adjectives or adjective phrases.

An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun, by telling what kind or which one. Adjective clauses usually begin with a relative pronoun such as that, which, who, whom or whose. Sometimes they may begin with a relative adverb, such as before, since, when, where, or why.

Adjective clauses are set off by commas,only when they are not essential to the meaning of a sentence. Relative pronouns – A relative pronoun has two functions in a sentence with an adjective clause.

First it connects the adjective to the word the clause modifies. Secondly, it acts with the clause as a subject, direct object, object of a preposition or adjective.

Relative pronouns connect adjective clauses to the words they modify and act as a subject, direct objects of preposition or adjectives in the clauses used or direct object in a clause. The city that is the largest is Harare. Use a direct object in a clause:

The movie (that) you recommended is no longer playing. Used as a direct object of a preposition in a clause – The person of whom you spoke is my friend.

Sometimes a relative pronoun is left out of an adjective clause. The missing word, nevertheless, is understood and still functions in the sentence. For example, the flowers (that) he bought made him sneeze. The relatives (whom) they visited were cousins. Relative adverbs, where and when –connect adjective clauses to the words they modify and act as adverbs in the clauses.

Unlike the relative pronoun, the relative adverb has only one use with the clause. It acts only as an adverb.

The settlers cleared a plot of land where they could build. Adverb clauses: In addition to acting as adjectives, subordinate can act as adverbs. An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a verb, an adjective, an adverb or a verbal by telling where, when, in what way, to what extent, under what condition or why?

All adverb clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions. Here is a list of commonly used subordinating conjunctions. For example: after, although, even though, unless, if, until, as, in order that, when, as if, since, whenever, as long as, so that, where, because, than, whenever, before, though, and while.

Sentences classified by structure – All sentences can be classified in two ways. First ,they can be classified by structure – that is by the number and types of clauses they contain. Second, they can be classified by function – that is by whether they state ideas, ask questions, give orders or express surprise.

The four structures of sentences –There are two kinds of clauses, independent and subordinate. These can be used to form four basic sentence structures: simple, compound, complex and compound complex. Key concept: A simple sentence consists of a single independent clause.

Although a simple sentence is just one independent clause with one subject and one verb, the subject, verb, or both may be compound. A simple sentence may also have modifying phrases and complements. However, it cannot have a subordinate clause. A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses.

The clauses in a compound can be joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) or by a semicolon (:). Like a simple sentence, a compound sentence contains no subordinate clauses. Examples: A Sotho bride carries a beaded doll at her wedding, and she keeps the same cloth for a year.

Stanley read the novel on Friday, he wrote his essay today. A complete sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses. The independent clause in a complex sentence is often called the main clause to distinguish it from the subordinate clause or clauses. The subject and the verb in the independent clause are called the subject of the sentence and the main verb.

The second example shows that a subordinate clause may fall between the part of a main clause.
For views link with charlesdube14058@gmail.com or sms to 0772113207

Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent

A Kwekwe prophet, Simabyu Shiri (35) leader of Spirit of Living Waters Ministries, recently grabbed headlines and sent shockwaves on social media platforms after he was arrested for beating up an elderly female congregant for talking badly about the man of the cloth.

A leaked audio which was recorded by the victim, Gogo Violet Ndhleleni (54), found its way to social media platforms with disturbing thunderous sounds of slaps coming from the man of the cloth churned out to the elderly congregant, being the main discussion.

The hapless woman who had been dragged to the church court by fellow female congregants, was slapped several times by the youthful prophet for trying to explain herself with the prophet claiming that she was being disrespectful by answering back.

After the beating, Gogo Ndhleleni made a police report leading to the arrest of the clergyman. Gogo Ndleleni’s predicament was only the tip of the iceberg after two more congregants, his bouncers, also filed assault charges against Prophet Shiri. In the audio, Prophet Shiri bragged about how he has disciplined other congregants before.

“You’re speaking while I’m still talking, that’s disrespectful. I beat people who disrespect me. You’re not the first one I have beaten. I can even take my whip if you keep answering back,” said the youthful clergy.

He even dug up personal information on the defenceless woman.

“This is why you don’t get married, it’s because you can’t close your mouth; you’re disrespectful, this is why your husband left you,” bellowed the prophet.

The development left Gogo Ndhleleni, who already had health challenges, with even more health issues. Besides being shaken physically, the experience was emotionally torturing to the elderly woman.

She said she was affected by the incident, emotionally, mentally and physically.

“When he called me on the day, I didn’t expect that the situation would get to that extent. He had told me that he wanted to ask me about what I had allegedly said. But when we were discussing, he didn’t give me the chance to tell my side of the story,” said the visibly shaken Gogo Ndhleleni.

“It’s true that I had one tooth removed after the beating and now my other ear can’t hear properly. I now have hearing challenges as a result of the beating. I have been in and out of the hospital after the incident but I’m recovering well now,” she said.

Gogo Ndhleleni vowed never to go to the church again.

“I don’t think I will be able to attend the church again; how can I face the prophet? I have never been there since the incident occurred. A lot of people have left the church, some burnt regalia, some wrist bands but there are some who are still going there, I don’t have any problem with their decision,” she said.

Another congregant claimed the prophet once assaulted youths who had failed to pitch a tent in preparation for a church service. Gogo Ndhleleni and two of the prophet’s bouncers filed assault charges against him.

The matter was taken to court and Prophet Shiri was initially sentenced to 12 months in prison before three months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

The remaining nine months were wholly converted to 315 hours of community service.

Gogo Ndhleleni’s experience at the hands of the prophet mirrors the sad reality happening in some places of worship where church leaders have become demi-gods who do as they please.

If a man of the cloth can have the audacity to beat up a woman as old as his mother, it means that man has no respect and can do anything he pleases, including sexual assault.

What is worrying is how Prophet Shiri bragged about having beaten “many others” before and how he could use his tongue to curse any congregant who disrespected him.

Besides the beatings, one cannot help but ask what else has been happening in this church or any other church for that matter.

Given that more women than men go to church in Zimbabwe; are the female congregates safe from the men of the cloth?

A church is supposed to be a safe haven where issues are solved amicably. Prophet Shiri could have sought other ways of solving the difference between him and Gogo Ndhleleni.

Zimbabwe Union Council of Churches (ZUCC) President, Evangelist Idirashe Dongo said the move by the youthful clergy was shameful and unacceptable.

“In the principles of a church setting, this should never be heard of. We don’t condone such acts. A church should be a safe place where people bring their problems and they get them solved amicably,” she said.

Evangelist Dongo said besides chasing away his flock, Prophet Shiri was painting a bad image of the church.

Going forward, she said, there was need to engage the church on issues to do with gender-based violence and gender equality among other issues.

“We have actually discovered a gap that churches are lacking in cases of violence and GBV. We should therefore start conscientising and raising awareness within churches,” she said.

“We engaged him (Prophet Shiri) over the issue and made him know that we were not happy about the development. From my own findings, the congregants seemed indoctrinated that they can no longer question decisions by the prophet.”

Shamwari YeMwanasikana programmes manager, Ms Esnara Kativhu said Gogo Ndleleni’s experience was the highest level of Gender-Based Violence which should never be tolerated.

Ms Kativhu said her organisation has handled many cases of GBV and Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) within the church.

“We have been working with churches for a while from Pentecostal, apostolic, and mainline churches. This was after we received reports that girls and women in churches were very vulnerable to cases of GBV. This is largely because of the processes and doctrines in the churches which discriminate against women and perpetuate gender inequalities and GBV,” she said.

Ms Kativhu said they have had engagements and they will continue doing so to raise awareness about GBV issues. She said in recent times, there has been a trend of young, charismatic prophets and apostles violating women.

“Young prophets use their power and influence to lure girls or coerce them into sexual activities. We have dealt with a number of such cases recently,” she said.

Ms Kativhu said women and girls are considered second-class citizens without a say, which causes emotional abuse.

“Women in churches can’t make decisions on which type of contraceptive to use without consulting their husbands. They can’t make a decision on their issues and this has left them emotionally shaken. Some women, especially wives of popular influential church leaders, are being beaten at home and they can’t speak out because they want to maintain the integrity of the church,” she said.

Ms Kativhu said Shamwari YeMwanasikana has already rolled out a programme to engage women and girls in churches.

“We have a number of programmes running to address these issues including Dandaro Revanasikana to engage with churches so that we protect the rights of women and girls in the church setting. We will continue working with other partner organisations to try and empower girls, even their male counterparts, on the need to respect their female congregants,” she said.

There is need to address cases of GBV and SGBV within the church setting and guard against mental health issues as many women suffer in silence.

Pathisa Nyathi

We are now in a position where we can deal with the preliminary work on the symbolism behind the rain dances associated with the Njelele Shrine and other related shrines found mostly within the Matobo Hills. The two dances are hoso (amabhiza) and wosana. At the time when the Njelele shrine is open to supplicants, in August-September, the two dances were performed.

Supplicants came from different parts of the country. They arrived at different times of the open period.

They all headed for the shrine keeper’s homestead not far from the shrine. They will have brought with them various gifts that they presented at the shrine. Wild dancing ensued at the homestead while groups that arrived earlier proceeded up the hill to the shrine. There, more dancing took place. The various local groups performed the woso dance, which precedes the wosana.

Both dances are drum-based. In the hoso dance, the three drums have Kalanga names. Indeed, the dances associated with rain-making are of Kalanga origin. The big drum, which is played first and provides the timeline, is called tjamabhika (literally, what you have cooked). The basis for the name has been lost over time. But noting that the dance is about rain-making, which guarantees good agriculture, the resulting grain is cooked as staple for the people in question.

The next drum, the medium-sized one is called shangana neshumba (meet the lion). The senior spirits of the land are the humba/mondolo. Perhaps this is a reference to them. The third and last drum, the smallest of them all is called dukumo.

Among the BaNyubi within the Matobo Hills, the drum is generally referred to as mandobo (see Nyathi and Chikomo: 2012).

In this article, our concern is not the technical side of musical production. Rather, our emphasis is on the underlying symbolism that is invoked to cause rain to fall. It is within this realm that beliefs and the worldview of the people are found. It is to these that we now turn.

Woso dancers are males. They have distinctive kilts that they put on. What will be clear in their costumes is the absence of the colour red. As explained in an earlier article, red is associated with death, which is the antithesis of life ,which lies at the heart of the Njelele concept.

Red is the colour associated with war, where blood is spilled. To the contrary, Njelele is associated with peace, life and regeneration. Death goes against regeneration and the continuity of life. It is no wonder therefore, that the colour red is taboo during the rain-making ceremonies.

Even when the rains fall, the red colour is concealed as it is thought to attract lightning. When one is struck by lightning, their life is either threatened or terminated. Either way, the colour red is associated with the termination of life – just the opposite of what Njelele stands for.

The male dancers, in addition to their kilts, put on characteristic head dresses comprising ostrich feathers, black and white, with the two long ostrich feathers resembling horn formations. The two are white in colour. Each dancer holds in one hand a hand rattle made from a hollowed-out gourd, into which seeds or stone pebbles are added. A handle is provided.

In the other hand, a dancer holds a fly whisk usually of a horse or wildebeest. Invariably, its colour was black, making it align with the Njelele colour scheme that of black.

The rest of the people form a circle, with the central space forming the arena or stage where the dancers showcase their dancing prowess. It should be pointed out that the dancers from time to time, at different times, join the circle. Only some of them do this while the rest will still be on the stage. This is in line with the characteristic unity that is cherished within the community.

The persons forming the circle are either singing, clapping or lurching themselves into the arena, to cheer on the male dancers. Some will be ululating wildly. The drummers decide when to push the dance to a higher level till it reaches the crescendo. The dancers advance in an artistic manner as they charge towards the drummers.

It is within this complex ensemble that symbolism and its related manipulation is played out, a symbolism that is associated with rain formation, as understood within the context of the worldview of the people in question. Natural phenomena are understood differently by different communities. What may be touted as scientific explanations and interpretation may be nothing more than humbug in a different community and vice versa.

ABOUT a week ago, I received some WhatsApp communication from someone I do not know. He says he has read my articles and what other people have written about me.

He is coming to Bulawayo and would love to get in touch. However, what seemed to inspire me was some quotation from one author by the name of Nick Pilgrim.

“Black Americans are suffering from cultural problems more than white supremacy.” I reflected on these words and found some sense and meaning in them. For a start, blacks did not, of their own volition, get to the United States of America. They were hunted down, hunted from their African homes, force-marched to the Indian Ocean and other ports in West Africa. From there, they were packed like sardines in ships that took them to the United States of America, South America and the Caribbean Islands.

The dislocation they faced, cut them off from their cultures. They faced discrimination based on their skin colour and woollen hair. From then on, Afro-Americans, denied the designation of Americans, had no choice but settle for less gratifying nomenclature as Afro-Americans and not Americans.

In a desperate move to ensure some sense of belonging, they started bleaching their skin and straightening their hair-all in a desperate effort to be closer to whiteness. They hoped by so doing, they would be tolerated and treated with respect, justice and honour.

If anything, their brothers on the continent began to face the same racial discrimination following colonisation. They too resorted to the similar strategies. Sadly, the strategies continue to be applied to this day. Africans seek to be like whites and, in the process; they use chemicals and items that are imported from countries outside of Africa.

Beauty has been defined to Africans, with the white colour as the yardstick for beauty. White skins and flowing hair, sometimes not even black, have been the target as Africans seek to attain beauty as defined to them. While their problems may be cultural, racism contributed to the denigration, demonisation and deprecation of black people. This is not confined to the external body appearances but is more deep-rooted. Our spirituality has been replaced with book religions. Our cuisines have also been tampered with. Language, attire, governance and the legal systems, inter alia, have equally been altered and tampered with.

Some readers of this article may be wondering what connection exists between this and our thematic articles on Ancient African Science (AAS). There is some palpable link and connection. From Jinja in Uganda, Michael Wandati wrote some story about a man, who travelled a long distance to have some nice erotic escapade with a married woman. The residents of Bawenge Town Council, in Jinja District witnessed an incident at Jojo Bar and Lodge, where a couple found themselves stuck together after having sex.

The more than 38-year-old man, a driver from Kasole in Lugazi, had looked forward to some pleasurable night experience that turned sour and some source of intense embarrassment. After travelling from Buwenga to meet his fiancé, all that awaited him was being stuck male and female dogs’ style.

Initially, their predicament was ignored until the following morning. Curious crowds began gathering to witness the rare spectacle. Inevitably, the police were alerted and rushed to the scene. For some people, at least it was not something new. In the previous year, a similar incident involving a taxi driver took place. In Zimbabwe, similar incidents have been reported. The phenomenon is known as ulunyoka and is applied ancient African science. Before expatiating on the incident and seeking to unravel the underpinning science, let us go back to the statement that I have made. “Africa had no prisons. Africa had prisons.”

This may seem contradictory. Let us explain. If we think of prisons in the physical sense, where there are robust walls as understood in the Western sense, Africa did not operate such prisons.

This is true of all ethnic groups regardless of where they are found. For example, in Bulawayo, the Bulawayo Prison was the first to be constructed. It was later generally referred to as Grey Prison. Alleged culprits were remanded there and when found guilty, some were hanged (in 1896) on the Hanging Tree along Main Street, since renamed Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo.

Western-modelled prisons are wasteful in terms of resources and have limited correctional value. Of course, there are skills that inmates acquire that are beneficial, in the case of Zimbabwean prisons. Africa had her own kinds of prisons that were, in the main, social, economic and spiritual in thrust. More importantly, their correctional effects were clear for all to see. Western prisons targeted an offender. One person was punished.

To the contrary, Africa solicited the support of the wider blood family to police members that would be tempted to commit some social crime. The Ndebele people have a saying, “Zonelwa mvu nye.” One sheep spoils it for the entire flock.

Blood relatives stand to suffer, sometimes terribly and painfully, when one of their members engages in some anti-social crime.

The aggrieved may resort to Ancient African Science and invoke ingwendela/uzimu/ngozi that has the potential to kill members of the same blood family, in terms of their common genetic make-up.

It is not about one individual suffering consequences of his/her sins of commission. The group, by virtue of relatedness, suffers.

This has the effect of other members demanding that all of their members keep within the straight and narrow path, so that the innocent do not suffer because of what a relative has done. The group therefore is roped into policing itself, for fear of disastrous consequence not to one of them, but to alike.

There are many cases where the consequences do not translate to death. Instead, the wider blood family is embarrassed. As a result, they work hard to ensure no family members spoil it for the rest by virtue of blood connection. As I have often said, there is no police force in the world more effective that one’s own conscience.

A family plays the role of police force. A thief may be found still wandering within a crop field from where they have stolen some produce. That is some source of embarrassment to the broader blood family. When a witch/wizard is captured trying to enter some homestead, it is not the perpetrator alone who faces some social stigma. The wider blood family is equally embarrassed. The extended family is not spared. It is that family that plays some pre-emptive role-the effective police force that is roped in. The family does more effective policing of its members. The consequence to them demand exactly that.

I hope that the link has emerged. In the case of marriages, there are husbands that obtain requisite ritual formulations to fence, ukubiya and their wives. The process may also work in reverse, when a wife fences her husband. This may work in numerous ways.

The less incriminating is one where a husband may fail to insert his machine gun, until he gives up. We have reported cases in the past, where some male infidels have engaged sexual entrepreneurs and failed to pay. Their organs may “go missing,” as a result. A case of optical illusion?

The case sited above is extreme. Essentially, it is symbolic in nature. By that, we mean identification of “sexual sticking together” in natural circumstances during or after sex. The one easily identifiable case, is one involving male and female dogs.

Many people would have witnessed this not-so-pleasant phenomenon. AAS has the capacity to transfer that natural sexual condition to human beings, to be stuck during sex, dog style. A male dog in such a predicament is killed during its capture and its copulating organ severed and ritually mixed with other herbs.

This is where I have a serious problem. Many of our people rubbish all this as untrue, pagan and supernatural practices. When Africans possess this sort of science, it is said to be mythical. The “mythiness” is based on the fact that it is a practice by Africans, whose culture knows no science. No, it is “penis captivus,” stupid! This is how it is explained and interpreted in the Western world for which Africans have fallen completely. African cultural practices are mythical and divorced from science as found in Western communities. I reject such notions that are based on racial denigration of the black race. In this world, all communities explain and interpret phenomena within the contexts of their cultures, traditions, knowledge, experiences and worldview. The explanations, interpretations concerning causality may differ and accordingly, how a given material or spiritual condition. It is racial arrogance of the highest order to dismiss all communities’ perceptions, explanations and interpretations as nonsensical and give credit and reality only to one’s own perceptions and beliefs.

These are racial biases that see Africans spend a lot of money trying to be like westerners, the self-appointed standard-bearers of humanity in terms of colour and other aspects of human endeavours. The locking mechanism is one such. It would seem Africans peddle in pagan superstitions. People fail to identify and explain the underpinning science, a science whose principles are different from those found in the West.

Interestingly, in Uganda, sexual locking, is explained and interpreted the same way as understood in traditional Zimbabwe. Indeed, our Africanness is the same. The report referred to recourse that separated the two lovers. The husband took some grass and thrust it over the bodies of beleaguered lovers. They separated. However, the onlookers saw that act and took it for granted that it was just some ordinary grass. It was special grass obtained from a river with flowing water.

When a man drowns and is taken downstream by raging waters, he may be found naked, with water having undressed him.

Water would have loosened his clothes. The same is true of a motor vehicle. When it is washed downstream by water, its wheels may be found loosened and no longer attached to the car. Water has the power to loosen up what has been tightened. I observed that during the days of my youth, when in spanned donkeys pulling a scotch cart stopped in the middle of flowing water to urinate.

Symbolic manipulation will be dealt with, as it is important in doing and undoing certain conditions from nature. Spirituality has the power to transfer a natural condition and replicate it in a different natural setting. This may sound difficult for people whose attitudinal leanings towards rubbishing everything African is deeply rooted.

Nkosilathi Sibanda, Sports Reporter

MARKETING and advertising executives from multi-national corporations frequently find themselves competing against each other in their eagerness to secure sponsorship contracts for prominent sporting events.

They go at great lengths to showcase their logos at prestigious events like the Olympics, Fifa World Cup, World Athletics Championships, tennis Grand Slams and other similar international competitions.

This is not confined to bigger competitions as it is also seen in elite football leagues in some countries. Even schools and tertiary sport gets sponsored.

Another trend that has been adopted by companies elsewhere is to sponsor and partner with athletes who do well in their career, in what is commonly known as endorsements. What is the catch in all this?

Advertising and marketing think tanks know the value that goes with a brand being a partner to the Olympics. It is more than the mere bragging rights.

Companies engage in sports sponsorships primarily to take advantage of tax incentives available in various countries. Tax incentives refer to the reduction or exemption of taxes for businesses that sponsor sports.

Regrettably, such a policy has not been put into effect in the country. For a long time, companies supporting sports have been complaining, urging authorities to reduce their tax obligations by at least 50 percent.

The list of these companies is endless and the outcry has been heard and spread to all corridors of policy implementation. Debates have ensued on the need to formulate sport tax rebates but, deliberations never saw the light of day.

The mention of tax rebates had brought excitement to corporate bodies that fund sports programmes. The concern on the non-availability of tax rebates has riled national sports associations who have revealed how they are failing to lure companies for sponsorship.

There is evidence of many sport codes that have since Independence never got any sponsorship. While football has had the best support.

However, there have been complaints that the funding is little and companies just do it for their corporate responsibility obligations.

If ever there is sponsorship, it comes when a team or an athlete has qualified to represent the country in an international tournament. That support, sadly doesn’t come with any tax rebate.

Companies that do such, only get an applause, build their public image and it ends there. Something has got to give in, said Tennis Zimbabwe president Walter Jere.

Tennis Zimbabwe is one national association that struggles to offer financial support to players who go for international tournaments. If a player qualifies for the big stage, it’s the parents that bear the financial brunt of participating. Jere says the only way to solve this is for Government to introduce tax rebates to companies.

“If one looks at the matter closely, most national sports associations are facing a hard time in finding companies to sponsor their activity. Funding is scarce because companies see no benefit in spending in sport.

“We are probably one of the few countries that have not put in place tax rebates in sport. With us in tennis, it has been the norm that parents fork out their hard-earned money to make sure players fulfil their dreams. What saddens us the most is that these kids carry the country’s flag high in international tournaments. We need a paradigm shift on that aspect. Surely something has got to give,” said Jere.

Volleyball, basketball, netball and handball also count in the list of sport codes that have never found joy in sponsorship. National associations that run these sport disciplines confess that a few businesses have opened their coffers to sponsor their numerous programmes locally or elsewhere.

Zimbabwe Handball Federation (ZHF) secretary-general Edson Chiworodza told Zimpapers Sports Hub speaks of the need to have tax relief or any incentive that will bring mutually beneficial synergies.

“It is known that we have been on the receiving end in as far as lack of sponsorship is concerned. To effectively run our activities, we need money and money is with the big corporates.

In so many workshops and seminars we have talked about this issue of rebates to companies. It is one of the ways that if such a tax relief was established, then we will see benefits.

“Yes, we have to call on Government and in particular our parent ministry to act on this,” he said.
Zimbabwe Volleyball Association technical manager Farai Mboto says a number of companies were willing to support them but, some changed heart, citing viability challenges.

In the debate, one issue that comes out prominently is the need to push Government on the national sports policy.

It is hoped that when a policy is implemented, problematic areas such as the tax rebates could be solved. — @NkosieLegend

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

BANKS, retail outlets, nightclubs and even individual DJs are supposed to acquire copyright licences before they playlist the music of artistes, according to the country’s music rights authority.

Copyright transgressions have become a topical issue in showbiz over the last few weeks after some of the country’s most prominent artistes were caught with their pants down over some of their hits from the past.

First was Jah Signal, who found one of his most popular songs Sweetie pulled down from YouTube, six years and six million views into its stay on the video-sharing platform. This was after a complaint from The Fishers of Men, who felt that his explicit lyrics had obliterated the original meaning and intent of the song.

The next to feel the wrath of copyright laws was Winky D, who had to pull down all the hits from his Gafa Life Kicks Tape after Kenako came knocking on his door, asking for long overdue royalties.

While those cases received their fair share of publicity, it has emerged that a lot of artistes and businesses in the country might be flouting copyright laws without even realising it.

In an interview with Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) last week, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association Executive Director, Polisile Ncube Chimhini said that people hosting events were meant to acquire licences for the music that they were going to play. “If you are playing for an audience in a public event, you have to get a copyright licence, which is what Zimura issues.

Then you will be covered for playing the song because what you are doing there is playing the song as it is. You are not rearranging the song, you are not adapting the song and you are not synchronising the song into another work. There is nothing wrong with playing the work but you have to get a copyright licence,” she said.

Chimhini added that establishments such as banks and retail outlets were also supposed to get licences for the music that they used to entertain their clients.

“The role of Zimura is to protect copyright, particularly music copyright for publishers, composers, music writers and producers. How this copyright is protected is that we licence all business premises that use music. We start with broadcasters, shops, nightclubs, banks, you name it. Any business that uses music we are supposed to give a copyright licence to and then after that, we are supposed to pay the royalties to the artiste,” she said.

Chimhini said the Jah Signal issue was escalated by the fact that Charles Charamba and his band had felt that their music was being corrupted, which made it odd, as usually copyright complaints came from people who felt that they were prejudiced of some economic benefits.

“There are some copyright infringement cases which have to be dealt with directly by the author. This is relevant to the Jah Signal, Charamba issue because most of it has to do with moral rights instead of economic rights. When we are talking of moral rights we are talking of rights of paternity. These are rights to be known or not to be known as the composer of a song. Rights to reject the use of the song in any manner. What happened there was that the Charambas did not like the lyrics that Jah Signal used on the melody that they created in their song and this was communicated way back in 2018 when he started.

“They thought he had listened but then in 2023 he also did another copyright infringement on another of their songs. So, they thought if it was going to continue it would harm their careers. So, they put a stop to it. More of it was to do with moral rights instead of economic rights, Charamba rightly said that he didn’t want any money from Jah Signal but it was to do with moral rights. These rights are provided for in the Copyright Act,” she said.

While young artistes are now fond of remixing or sampling the hits of bygone stars, Chimhini said deceased artistes were still entitled to enjoy benefits from their music for 50 years after their passing.

“Some songs are used in movies, dramas, soaps and things like that. So, if you are an artiste and someone is using your song in their drama, they have got to ask just in case they don’t want their song to be associated with whatever you’re doing. They’ve got the right to say no. “ . . . If you want to sample a Dembo song then you have to approach Mai Dembo, who holds Dembo’s copyright right now so that she gives you permission. She can ask you to pay or she can give it to you for free because copyright lasts for the lifetime of the artiste and for 50 years after the death of the artiste. So, if an artiste dies and 50 years has not passed their work is still under copyright. If the artiste dies and their work is under copyright, you have to ask whoever is holding the copyright at the time,” she said.

Chimhini said Zimura would be holding workshops across the country, as they sought to spread the gospel on copyrights. “We started these workshops last year. The plan is to make sure that at least every Zimbabwean knows something about copyright.

This is because we noticed that a lot of Zimbabweans do not know anything about copyright or intellectual property in particular. So, we have these workshops every month. We go around the cities, from Harare to as far as Victoria Falls. We are starting this year’s workshops in Mutare on 12 March. By the end of November, we should have reached all big towns in Zimbabwe,” she said.

Lovemore Dube

WANTAWAY Zimbabwean striker at Azam FC in the Tanzanian Premiership, Prince Dube has a US$300 000 release clause.

That means any team interested in his services is expected to pay at least that or better.

Dube has set the social media alight with his intentions to leave the Tanzanian giants in the last few days. He has taken to social media to insinuate that his club coach is a racist, allegations shot down by the club on Friday.

In an interview Abdulkarim Nurdin, the team’s chief executive officer revealed on Thursday that Dube would have to fork out US$300 000 if he entertained being a free agent.

“It was Dube and his agent and Highlanders who pegged the price at US$300 000 when he came on board in 2020. They said there was a deal with a French company that wanted Dube and that they would not pay less than that figure. Since we cared about his welfare we agreed to that. Just recently he extended his contract at the club to 2026. He is contracted and he knows what can be done. In any case he is our only striker, the transfer window is closed, where do we get a replacement now?” asked Nurdin.

While Nurdin could not confirm how much he had earned for the contract extension, it is believed he was paid US$150 000.

He earns US$8 000 a month after tax with his winning bonus pegged at US$500. The Azam chief executive officer, said there was nothing unusual with what Dube did. He said it can be a matter of the player looking for greener pastures in Tanzania as there has been speculation that Young Africans are keen on the Zimbabwean.

“We have taken good care of Dube and he is still our player. We are not going to take any action on him. He is our player and has a running contract. No club has reached out to us for his signature. He remains our player unless he buys himself out of contract. His release clause is clear, we have to be compensated to the tune of US$300 000. So if he wants to go, it is simple, he must bring back the signing on fees and pay us back US$300 000 and mind you Highlanders has a share according to the agreement we made back then,” said Nurdin.

Dube a scorer of great goals last week announced he had written to Azam seeking a move away from the club. He also took a dig at the club coach accusing him of being a racist.

“The difference between me and coach Yusuf Dabo is that he is selfish and racist, let me go, I don’t need to stay again at Azam FC,” the Zimbabwean was quoted as having allegedly posted on social media.

Nurdin shot down the insinuation that Dube was being victimised on racial lines.

“There is unity in our camp, we are second on the log and enjoying a good run. There is no racism at all, all players are treated well, with dignity my brother. We are a professional side and are not reading much into his alleged wrong doing,” said Nurdin.

Nurdin insisted that they would at no stage stand on the player’s path. He challenged Dube to look for US$300 000 first before he can be attended to by the club.

“Even now if he comes with the US$300 000 we can sit down and release him. Otherwise he has to finish his contract with us or until a club comes on board and offers a good deal for us and himself,” said Nurdin.

Dube who started on a salary of about US$2 500 and is accommodated at a beautiful suburb overlooking the sea scored 14 goals and had five assists in 2020/21 and missed seven matches due to injury. He played 23 out of 30 games and missed one Tanzania FA Cup match for the same reason. The following season Dube scored one goal and had two assists in the 14 out of 30 league matches he played.

Dube missed 10 matches due to injury and started off the bench in six. He had a far much better football year in 2023 scoring 12 goals in 26 matches after missing another four due to injury. This year has not spared him from injuries as he has already missed seven games out of 19. He has been on target seven times.

His statistics have earned him love from Azam who have extended his contract to 2026 despite his propensity to injuries because they know what a fully fit Dube can do. Azam are convinced The Prince will stay. And when he has weathered the storm, goals will flow.

Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday Life Reporter

TWENTY NINE-YEAR-OLD Kotwane Hikwa, a Bulawayo DJ has secured a radio residency with Duma FM, Gaborone in Botswana.

Kotwane, who was raised in Gwabalanda and pursued his studies at Inyathi High School, ventured into music while he was still at school. He later managed to obtain a Diploma in Human Resources Management at Bulawayo Polytechnic.

Due to his love for music, Kotwane opted to pursue it as a full-time career and has been engaged in the industry for nearly ten years. His passion led him to make his mixtapes.

“Exposure to mixtapes on local and international radio stations back in 2009 and 2010 ,influenced me to start my collection.

This is particularly of house and electronic dance music. Those mixtapes also helped me learn to slowly craft my own, which is how I managed to get the attention of people through my mixing skills.”

He started by playing at small parties and family gatherings, his mixtapes later caught the attention of Skyz Metro FM, Khulumani FM, Afrocarib Radio, Diplomatik Radio, and Zvidobi, which earned him a radio residency with Duma FM from Botswana. The residency started this month.

“Being a resident DJ at top leisure centres in Bulawayo allowed me to perform and open for well-known DJs and artists such as Da Capo, DJ Fresh, DJ Zinhle, Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Young Stunna, Murumba Pitch, Mawhoo, Mellow and Sleazy and more. I look to stay relevant within the music industry and updated on how to grow my career in other cities and countries as well. As for upcoming projects, I have music I’m working on in the studio that will be dropped soon as remixes and singles ,before I release one solid project/album or Extended Play. In this industry, I’ve learnt that it’s important to stay consistent in perfecting and working on my craft. Keeping good relations with people you work with, will always open doors for one as a DJ, eventually.”

DJ Kotwane expressed his commitment to the industry as he prepares for his new residency at Duma FM in Botswana.

Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday Leisure Reporter

POPULAR Bulawayo dance group, Iyasa lost some of its prestigious awards when thieves broke into its offices on Thursday night.

Posting on their Facebook account, Iyasa revealed that six of their awards and a PA system mixer were among the stolen items as well as office materials.

“We regret to inform you that our offices in Bulawayo were burglarised last night, resulting in the loss of valuable items. Among the stolen possessions, were six prestigious awards and a PA system mixer, along with other office materials. The awards hold significant importance to our institution, and we are deeply concerned about their disappearance,” said the group.

Iyasa director, Nkululeko Dube

The awards stolen include three National Arts Merit Awards for Outstanding Dance Ensemble, two Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards for Outstanding Dance Ensemble, and one National Arts Merit Award presented to the director, Nkululeko Innocent Dube, in the category of Nama Legend Award.

The incident has been reported to the police for investigation.

The group has appealed to members of the public to assist in locating its awards.

“We kindly request your assistance in locating these awards, as they represent not only our achievements but also our commitment to excellence in the arts. Any information or leads would be greatly appreciated.”

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

AFTER what has been a quiet start to the year for Bulawayo promoters, with very few gigs featuring any internationally recognised performers, South African Amapiano star, Musa Keys is expected to end the dry spell with a gig at the posh Cosmopolitan VIP Club, on Sunday night. 

Over the last few years, promoters in Bulawayo have not been shy to cash in on revellers’ love to party, bringing in heavyweight performers even during the dreaded first few months of the year. 

However, this time around, there has been a noticeable slow down, with promoters seemingly keeping their powder dry for the later months of the year. 

Musa Keys

In an interview, Cosmopolitan’s marketing consultant, Ntando Ndlovu said that they had decided to bring Keys for the city’s first major Sunday event of the year because they felt that people in Bulawayo were now ready to spend big on prime entertainment, after a tough start to the year. 

“I wouldn’t call it a drought in terms of local events because I think we were just reading the room. If you look at the people that did events in January and even February, they all proved to be not so wise investments because those months are generally not easy for people to continue partying after December. I think it’s been a result of the environment that we are in economically. 

“Now the year is shaping up better. The first quarter is almost done and we are now getting to some level of normalcy. We feel like this is now a good time for people to come out on a Sunday, relax and enjoy themselves,” he said. 

Ndlovu said they felt that Musa Keys’ chart topping catalogue made him the most suitable headline act for their event. 

“Why Musa Keys? Well, Musa Keys had some of the hottest songs over the past festive season that carried on into the New Year. He’s still rocking, I believe that this is an opportunity for the people of Bulawayo to see this hitmaker perform the hit singles that have been making people dance throughout December. I think it’s also an opportunity for people to see Musa Keys in a setting that fits hand-in-glove with his music. As you know, Cosmopolitan prides itself in providing an all-encompassing VIP experience and that’s what people will get today,” he said.

Music

Ndlovu said Keys would be supported by a cast of local performers that include Mzoe 7,  MC Tiff, DJ Nospa and DJ Keezy,  among others. 

“He will be supported by our resident DJs, but revellers should look out for a few surprises because this is a collaboration with another promoter and he might have other artistes in mind. 

“Those will be put on the final card. I think fans can expect a standard Musa Keys performance. I know the ladies love him because he just doesn’t stay behind the decks, but he comes out to really interact with the audience, so it’s going to be a crazy night,” he said. 

Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday Life Reporter 

LENNY Sibusiso Ngwenya, a 16-year-old Zimbabwean author, based in South Africa is celebrating the publication of his debut book, “The Complicated but Most Phenomenal One.” 

The novel was inspired by his love for reading and his experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I developed the love of reading as a result of boredom during the times of Covid-19,” Lenny shared. 

“Not only that, but I was inspired by numerous books I read as I participated in book clubs at school, they sparked my interest.”

The young author found writing to be a natural outlet for his creativity. 

He stated, “Writing for me is very easy because it is just a matter of tapping into my powers of imagination and creatively expressing myself.” 

He mentioned that his book aims to challenge the common practice of judging a book by its cover, a theme he hopes will resonate with readers of all ages.

Covid-19

Despite facing challenges in gaining recognition ,Lenny managed to secure a publisher for his book.

 “My background gave me difficulties getting recognition, but we managed to find a publisher and to my delight the book was published,” Lenny said.

Looking ahead, Lenny is dedicated to continue his literary journey. by creating more advanced and creative content.

“I plan on writing more books with content more creative and advanced, I would like my future projects to be recognised even at schools,” he shared.

“For young writers like myself, I advice you  to go after what you desire. The choice is yours, so make a wise decision.”

“The Complicated but Most Phenomenal One” is targeted at primary school children, offering them an interesting literature work.

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

AS the name suggests, Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts is an educational institution, a classroom whose students are learning nothing but the arts. 

This, of course, may be partly due to the fact that the group was founded in the classrooms of Mpopoma High School, where a motley crew of arts loving pupils under the guidance of their equally arts-crazed school teacher, Nkululeko Dube, decided to chart a new course in the arts in Zimbabwe.  

Twenty-three years after the group was founded, Dube, a man with a passion for the arts and a keen eye for talent, is now in a position to reflect, look back and grade some of the students that have passed through his hands. 

Although reluctant, Dube shared with Sunday Life the names of five students who he worked with over the years that made a lasting impression on his mind and laid the ground for the extended period of success that the group has enjoyed. “If I was given a bigger number than five, I would go on and on and not stop because there are a lot of young people that passed through our hands whose work I appreciate,” Dube said. 

Futurelove Sibanda  

When Chase Skuza remixed his late brother Solomon’s song, Banolila, at the turn of the century, few cared that this was an old track that had already blazed the charts years prior. Perhaps this was mainly because the remixed song came with a blockbuster video that changed many artistes’ approach to visuals.  

The video of the song was a visual feast, as Iyasa brought new energy to the solemn lyrics penned by Solomon, injecting a new lease of life into an old tune.  The undoubted star of that video was Futurelove Sibanda, who dazzled with his expressive and dramatic dance moves. With that video, a star was born and in Futurelove, who is now based in Vienna, Austria, Dube found a young man who shared his passion for performance and innovation.  “I enjoyed working a lot with Future Sibanda, in the early years that Iyasa started simply because he stood out as a young man that believed in himself and what we were doing,” Dube said. 

“He was very innovative and as a dreamer he wanted to break boundaries. We grew quite close over the years as we worked together. He became, not only a student but he also became family to me. He is one of the top five people that I look up to.” 

Sandra Ndebele -Sibindi

Few artistes in Zimbabwe have had Sandra Ndebele-Sibindi’s staying  power. Key to her success has been the ability to innovate and venture into avenues that are usually not associated with the arts. In her two decades in showbiz, Ndebele has constantly reinvented herself, transforming from performer to mother, wife, businesswoman and now, a politician. 

For Dube, Sandra’s indomitable spirit and her desire to reach the top in whatever she does exemplifies the true spirit of Iyasa. When the group was formed, the young people at its core had superstardom and long term success in their minds. As she scales new heights, Ndebele has become the living embodiment of the Iyasa dream. 

“For simply being whom she is, Sandra challenged me a lot as an artiste. She was one person who believed in what I did and in her own career she has gone on to break boundaries yet she remains humble until this day. She remains thankful and those are two things that I respect in any young person. Sandra has carried on the principles of what we were hoping to achieve as Iyasa,” Dube said. 

Prelude Sibindi 

Very often when the founding of Iyasa is spoken about, attention goes to the dancers and singers who have dazzled audiences around the globe with their voices and moves. However, for Dube not enough mention is made of the thinkers in the group, the young people whose leadership enabled Iyasa to go from the classroom to some of the most prestigious stages in the world. One of those people is the South Africa based Prelude Sibindi who, after leaving the group, has managed to carve out a successful professional career for himself south of the Limpopo. 

“I worked with Prelude Sibindi who is now based in South Africa and we are still in touch as we speak,” said Dube. 

“Prelude was a leader in his own right and he also came out to me as a person who was not only an academic but also wanted to prove that he could be a good leader. I enjoyed his leadership skills and the way that he connected me to the young people that I was working with. Up to today, I believe that he is one of our unsung pioneers when it comes Iyasa.” 

Sibonisiwe Sithole. 

Loyalty. That’s one word that should be used to describe the late Sibonisiwe Sithole. While many came and left, Sithole was the one constant at Iyasa, sticking with the group through thick and thin until her passing on. She lived and breathed Iyasa and only death, which took her in 2020, separated her from the stage.    

“I pay a lot of respect to the late Sibonisiwe Sithole not because she is not with us anymore because she was very loyal to Iyasa. I knew her straight from the classroom, where I taught her, and we went on to work together out of school until her passing on. She knew Iyasa and nothing else and that is why I say I respect her loyalty to the institution. She is one person that came and never left,” said Dube. 

Cheryl Mabaya 

Hailed by some as one of the best dancers to come out of the Iyasa stable, Cheryl Mabaya has left indelible footprints on the country’s showbiz through her immaculate footwork. For Dube, Mabaya, is the face of a generation, an inimitable performer who managed to carry the Iyasa brand after most of the “originals” had left. 

“Cheryl Mabaya is from the generation that came before the one that we have currently. She was a young girl that came to Iyasa with dreams and I met her when she was literally a child. She was a hardworking achiever that was highly respectful. I don’t remember a single day of working with her when I found myself under pressure, trying to get to do her work. She was the butterfly because she had a lot of qualities and she changed a lot over time from dance to theatre and music. She became the person who rubber stamped a lot of our work,” said Dube. 

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

NKULULEKO Dube is a man who abhors the limelight. 

Despite being one of the most famous and recognisable names and faces in the local arts scene, the founder of Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa), Dube, does not believe that he should be anywhere near the spotlight. 

The glitz and glamour, which usually has a magnetic pull on many in showbiz, is just not for him.    

It is in the shadows, away from the flashing cameras and prying eyes that he thinks he is able to showcase his best. 

“I try to allow my work to do the talking,” he told Sunday Life in an interview last week. 

“I try to live quite a private life and stay away from the limelight. I am there to give others the limelight. I am there to give them a platform, I am there to give young people that I work with a chance to shine. It is never about me. I feel that it is important sometimes that I make it clear that I don’t want to chase after the limelight with the stars. For me, it’s important that I let the work speak because I don’t want to be the one who’s at the forefront of the team. I prefer to work behind-the-scenes, backstage and the rehearsal room.” 

Perhaps, Dube’s reluctance to hog the limelight and the headlines might seem odd to some people. 

However, Dube’s background, and the rise of Iyasa, might provide a few pointers as to why he has always been somewhat shy at the prospect of being the centre of attention. 

Dube was, after all, once a humble school teacher who, when he was not in front of a blackboard, enjoyed taking his pupils  through their paces on stage in his spare time. 

His Mpopoma High School Drama Club, born at the now famous Room 37, served as the midwife in the birth of Iyasa.

Iyasa Dance Troupe

 Dube has never looked back ever since, quitting his profession to serve the arts fully. However, the humble school teacher in him has never fully died, which is perhaps why the glamour of showbiz has never fully reeled him in. 

“I always say to my artistes, the most important place for me, the safest place, is the rehearsal room. After that, I prefer that our presentations become the language that expresses who I am and who they are. It’s not about me. It’s all about them,” he said. 

After 23 years in the arts, Dube believes that the business of making stars, of nurturing young men and women that live and breathe the arts, is what has kept him going. 

“When you wake up every day and you can look around you and see the results of what you have been trying to do, that is motivation enough for me to keep going. When you look at the time you have invested into what you do, you realise that it’s easier to move forward than to go back. I am one who enjoys working with young people, especially creative young people. I am motivated by passion, not only my passion but the passion of people that believe in what I do. 

“When I see, young people walking into my office or into our rehearsal space with a belief that this is where they will find answers to their dreams, that alone is motivation enough for me. Even after 23 years, we see our institution being relevant to a lot of people, locally and internationally. I am a person who enjoys working in a rehearsal room, trying ideas and I always believe that I can do better than I did yesterday. I want to recreate what I did yesterday but in a better way,” he said. 

As Iyasa celebrated two decades in the arts industry, the Covid-19 pandemic was sweeping across the globe. Performances at events and touring have been the lifeblood of the group since it was founded in 2001 but the pandemic, which dealt a heavy blow to the arts worldwide, put a stop to that. 

With the world now largely back to normal, Dube admits that the period was perhaps the most challenging that they have faced since Iyasa came into being.

Mpopoma High School

“It is not easy to pinpoint one year out of 23 as the hardest you have faced but I would say the most challenging year was the year in which Covid-19 started. At that time we had to cancel a lot of programmes, income generating programmes internationally. We had gotten used to a system of working whereby for half the year we were in Zimbabwe and the other half outside the country. 

It was the first time we could not explore any of our opportunities though no fault of our own. It was a very hard year in that it also brought a lot of depression among the artistes that we were working with. We saw quite a lot of artistes choosing other avenues to make a living. It was a time when the composition of the ensemble was a very difficult thing to juggle. Keeping Iyasa alive, particularly the first year, was not easy. The year that we had Covid-19 was our most difficult year,” he said. 

Dube and Iyasa have come a long way from those days in Mpopoma High School’s Room 37. He is now an industry leader, a man that has even been acknowledged as one of the men and women that have left an indelible imprint on the country’s arts scene by the Namas, the country’s premier arts award showcase.  

Iyasa has become a nursery for budding arts talent in Bulawayo, a beacon of hope for creative young people who live in the hope that their talent can take them from their modest homes and even beyond the borders of their country. 

After more than two decades in the industry, Dube said he is not tired of holding the hands of dreamy young people that want to shoot for the stars.  

“I can’t say I am scared of the future but I am cautious of the future. That is why when I wake up, I make sure that what I will do on that particular day I am preparing the young people that I am working with for the future. It is the result of what we have been doing that keeps me going. When we look around at the careers that we have created, we feel proud. One thing about me is I also have around me, a very strong team of people, from my family, my wife and children, all the way to those young people that look up to me. What I did yesterday motivates me for the future,” he said. 

Sunday Sermon with Apostle Chisale

GREETINGS beloved nation. Luke 1:80, “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” In the Bible, we come across many great men and women who were able to fulfil the plans and purposes of God in their lifetime. 

This is mostly because they aligned themselves to the plans of God and allowed God to prepare them, so that they would be able to fulfil their destinies. God will always prepare us for what lies ahead and he will take his time to do that. He is never in a hurry until we are ready. 

A certain minister once said that “all people God uses significantly, He also prepares extensively. Few are willing to endure the greatness of God’s preparation.” The problem we have with many believers, or with human nature is that we are impatient. We want things to happen fast, there and there, without going through the process. 

We want to stand at a pulpit fast, we want to have our own ministry quickly and we want to get married there and there without necessary training and preparation. When God wants to use you, he will build your capacity. Capacity is the ability any human being can demonstrate to do something assigned to him or her. God always wants to give us capacities that will enable us to achieve great things for Him and for His glory. 

In the book of Luke, we read about a great man by the name of John the Baptist. The scriptures go to great length to tell us about his birth. How he was born to a God fearing elderly couple, who had been praying for a child for many years, until such a time,  an angel appears to Zechariah the priest to tell him that God has heard their prayers for a child. 

On his day of circumcision on the eighth day, a prophesy is spoken about John by his father “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,” John’s destiny was to grow up and prepare the way for the coming Messiah and be the first prophet that has come in 400 years. 

Salvation was coming into the world and John would point people to Jesus Christ. Then the Bible tells us in Luke 1:8 that, “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” Some version says “until the day he appeared publicly”. So, meaning he had to go through a process before the prophecy came to fulfilment. John had to grow up to accomplish the plans that God had for his life. 

He had to become spiritually mature to live a life of faith. He had to become spiritually strong. This is a process of growth, where God builds your capacity. The Bible tells us that he was in the desert till the day of manifestation. The desert is a harsh environment,so meaning John was not living a soft life. When God is preparing you and building your capacity, it is not easy, it is a difficult and uncomfortable season in a believer’s life. 

You see,when God speaks a word over your life or ministry, he will begin the journey of building your capacity. He will stretch you to your limits. So that was the case with John, he became spiritually strong in the desert until the time came for him to appear. Unfortunately, some believers want to jump this process or to shorten the process and appear in ministry before the set time. They do not want to follow the law of process. 

Often, when a prophetic word is spoken over our lives, we want it to manifest at once without going through the season of preparation. God does not work that way. We read about Joseph in the book of Genesis 37-47. In Genesis 37, Joseph a favoured son of Jacob, dreams a dream, which speaks of him becoming a ruler and his brothers bowing down to him. Joseph was destined to rule in Egypt but he did not have the capacity to do that. It was soon after his dream that a life of hardship began. 

God had to build in him the capacity to govern and to be an administrator. In Genesis 39, he is sold by his brothers and ends up in Potiphar’s house in Egypt, where he is made overseer over the house of Potiphar. He is then taken through the school of the Holy Spirit, where he is a slave and later becomes a prisoner. This was his classroom where God was building his capacity. His capacity to become administrator over Egypt was being built as he was put in charge over the prisoners. The Bible does not tell us exactly what this involved, but I am certain it involved many issues of administration of people and of resources in the prison. 

There was no way Joseph would have become a ruler over Egypt without the necessary training. One thing about Joseph is that we do not hear him complaining or accusing God that, “why am I going through this hardship yet I have a destiny of being a great leader.”No, Joseph’s attitude was aligned to the will of God. He allowed himself to go through the process until such a time when his season of appearing came. 

He was kept hidden in prison while God was preparing him, just as John the Baptist was kept hidden in the desert till his season of appearing came. One-time King David was hidden in the cave of Adullam and many other discomforting places as God was preparing him. God will keep you hidden in the wilderness until the time to appear comes. This doesn’t mean he won’t be with you during those times. 

The Bible tells us in Genesis 39:2 that God was with Joseph during this time of trials. God will be there, but at times he will be silent. Silence on its own is God speaking. When God trains you, he will be silent for many reasons. This alone is a topic for another time. When capacity is being built it is a painful time, where you are stretched, pruned, tried and tested. God will deal with your character and he will test your faith in him. 

King David was another great man that we read about in the Bible, who went through a lot of hardship as God was training him and preparing him to become a great king. In 1 Samuel 16 David is first anointed king by Samuel because God had rejected Saul the king. What follows is a difficult period in the life of David, where he was hunted by Saul who wanted to kill him. 

In 1 Samuel 22 he had to hide in the cave of Adullam with four hundred who had followed him there. He became captain over them and these men were later known as mighty men under the leadership of David. So, why did David have to wait seven whole years before sitting on the throne as king yet he had already been anointed. 

The reason he had to wait as long as seven years was part of God preparing him. David had to be fully trained and strategically fit for the position. He had to be approved of both God and men. David had the heart to be king, but he also had to acquire the character to be a king. Many people have been appointed by God, but they need a time to be trained to acquire the character. 

You don’t just become what you have been appointed to be, you also have to prove that you are fit for the appointment, in order to be accepted of God and men. It is my prayer that as believers we allow ourselves to go through the process. 

I pray that God may give you the sustaining grace during the seasons of preparation because indeed you will need to be sustained by the Holy Spirit during the times in ‘wilderness’ when God is building your capacity. I would like to invite you to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, by believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that he is your Lord and saviour and you shall be saved. May God bless you all.

Contact details: dominionlifechurch01@gmail.com WhatsApp Number: 0772494647

MERE mentioning of the word ‘verbs’ implies something pretty obvious. Everybody assumes that they know a lot about verbs.

Ask them to define a verb, almost every on wants to answer that question.

All is well when there is clear understanding of what is at stake.

Why is that everyone knows about the verb? Verbs are the foundation words of sentences. Every sentence must have a verb.

The verb gives the sentence meaning, by saying something about the noun or pronoun that is the subject. We can identify verbs in three ways; by definition, by classification, and by the features that distinguish verbs from other parts of speech.

A verb is defined as a word that shows action or state of being about a noun or pronoun. We travel five kilometres each day. (action).

That game decided the champion. (action). I am down in the dumps today. (state of being). She is ill today. (state of being).
Grouping verbs by classes. Verbs are usually grouped into three main classes; action verbs, being and linking verbs.

These three classes help to identify verbs. Verbs that show physical or mental action are called action verbs. Physical action. James climbed the rope. Meli started the lawnmower. The fans cheered. Mental action — I concentrated on the test.

We hope our team wins. Andrew thought hard.

Linking verbs do not show action. They link a noun or pronoun in the first part of a sentence with a word in the second part of a sentence.

The oranges were delicious. He is an electrician. The sky became cloudy. The water felt cool. Linking verbs include forms of “be” and a few other commonly used verbs. The following verbs are the most commonly used linking verbs.

Some forms of Be: am, has been; is have been; are, had been, was, will be, were, should be, may be, would have been, can be, shall be. Common linking verbs: taste, smell, sound, seem, look, feel, become, stay, grow, appear, remain.

Some words can be either action or linking verbs. You must look at the way the verb is used in the sentence to decide which kind it is. Action: We grew potatoes in our garden. Linking: The children grew tired. Helping verbs help the main verb express an action or state of being.

The plane will arrive on schedule. Our flight had been delayed by one hour. The bicycle chain has become rusty.
Helping verbs include the forms of be and many other commonly used words. Forms of (Be): am, were, is, be, are, been, was. Commonly used helping verbs: has, might, have, must, had, can, do, shall, does, should, did, will, may, would.

Finding verbs by their features – Four features can help identify verbs. A word that is a verb must have at least one of these features, but some verbs will have all four. Verbs have tense.

Tense is the time expressed by a verb. There are two kinds of tenses: simple and perfect. The three simple tenses are present, past, and future. The three perfect tenses are present perfect, past perfect and the future perfect.

They march past the national flag every morning. (present simple). The pathfinders walked across the street. (simple past). Ellen will walk to the movies with us. (simple future) Ryan has walked the dog. (present perfect). The dog knew Mary had walked another dog. (past perfect). He will have walked four kilometres by lunch. (future perfect).

The tense of the verb is formed with one of its three principal parts: present, past, and past participle. The present form is the form of the verb used with to: (to) go, (to) swim, (to) play.

The past form is the one that shows past time: went, swam, played. The past participle form of the verb is the form of the verb used with the helping verb has or have; (has) gone, (has) swum, (has) played.

Here are some examples under the headings present, past and past participle: hope, hoped, hoped. Close, closed, closed. Look, looked, looked. Run, ran, run. See, saw, seen. Verbs have an –ing form.

The –ing form is the verb’s progressive form. The progressive form of the verb uses a form of ‘be’ in the simple tenses. The future tense also uses will or shall.

I am drawing a sketch of my project. (present tense). I was drawing a sketch of my project. (past tense). I will be drawing a sketch of my project. (future tense). Verbs have singular and plural forms.

Whether a verb is singular or plural depends on the subject of the sentence. When the subject is singular, the ending –s or –es is added to the present tense form of the verb.

When the subject is plural, the present tense form is used by itself.

Helping verbs may also be singular or plural.

Shirley plans to study medicine. (singular) The two students plan to study music. (plural).

For views link with charlesdube 14058@gmail.com <mailto:14058@gmail.com> or sms to 0772113207

Carl Tanyaradzwa Maswoswa

MANY a time, we have been caught unaware by the decisions we have made; whether we jumped a process or took a short-cut to arrive were we desired to be.

In the façade of trying to provide, be successful, get ahead; life or career wise, we often think since time is an invaluable resource — it sits freely at our mercy. If we lived life and made decisions knowing anytime it could be a different story, then we would be better people. Decisions made in man’s time always seem to haunt us one way or the other, as compared to decisions made in the consciousness of God’s time. Many are the thoughts and plans of man,  but God’s will prevail.

You will say;

I will do that task at my own time,
It is not yet time to be saved,
I am in the prime of my life now, l need to enjoy life,
I have all the time in the world, why worry,

I have to focus on my dreams or work; l will spend time with my kids or parents next month or year.

The true reality is, you don’t have the time you think you have, if you choose to procrastinate and postpone some of the important things in your life — time will humble you. The universe has endowed you with precious resources, time being the first; what you have to know is that your time is particularly not different from the sand in the hour glass. Once it runs out that is the end of you. We live in a generation driven by comments and likes on social media,  where trending is new hype that you are living life. The young at heart feel invalidated, when you see success on social media,you think you are not doing your best. Half-baked and pressurized decisions are made unconscious of the implications time will have on them later.

The trauma you are facing today, an event might have happened to you; a loved one died early, disability came, “when I am in the prime of my life” virus infected you, you did not spend time with your kids now their waywardness reveals your lack of parenting, that business venture deal you just signed without praying has made you bankrupt to the extent of being put behind prison bars — then you think, “if l had invested time with my kids or loved one”  when its already too late. Time has its way of humbling us, thus the need to always check our actions if they are in sync with our maker.

Are you grateful?

Have you been kind enough?
Are you loving the people around you right?
Did you see someone at their point of need and assisted them?

Are you conscious of the time you spend on your dream or work, are you spending the same time with your family or loved one?

Societal problems we face today, lies on the fact that someone has bitterness or anger towards what their parents did to them; they were not available for them and that led them to drugs. That church believer is angry, you were not available when their loved one died,  when in turn they were pouring their all in church including their time, that businessman has a scar because they did not do due diligence towards that business venture because time seemed not to be on their side (they just dived without looking at the risks involved), that lover you spent 4 years with just broke up with you and you have to start over — you have vowed to make the society an instrument to feel your wrath.

Whilst other factors come into play; our choices and decisions are rendered useless if we make choices without the undiluted consciousness that time will humble us. Should this attitude be engraved in your approach; you will move with life like nothing matters than to do your all, knowing tomorrow is not guaranteed. It may sound like cliché, but imagine all the dreams and visions came to you and said, “we came to you to give us life but what did you do?”, you abused us — we gave you time to compensate for your mistakes, but you still denied us the chance.

It is a sad reality that destinies are truncated at their prime, unfortunately I had the opportunity to interact and converse with some bright young minds that are no longer with us today. It is evident time and God happen to all, it is up to you to have a closer and intimate relationship with them. I have spoken to some bright minds that l could see; stars gazed at their bright destinies, heartbreakingly they could not live to tell the story. Blessing had all the right structures and dreams to implement, when he spoke, you could tell if he came into power things would change, alas he did not work on those dreams because he thought he had time. The doctor diagnosed him of blood cancer many years later and he had been given a prognosis of 2 to 3 months to live. All the intellect and ideas died with him few weeks later.

You may be a victim today, you are not investing properly into your relationships, spirit, family, dreams and desires — you think you will make time for it later. What if the time in your account is depleted, such that what you have now is a day, two months, one year or even a minute, will you be proud of how you have allocated and spent your time? If you do not create time for the things you desire or have, time will humble you. ‘If I had known ‘,will be an irrelevant phenomenon.

l Carl Tanyaradzwa Maswoswa is the founder of a coaching and mentoring club at the National University of Science and Technology in partnership with International Coaching and Mentoring Foundation. Carl also has a slot on Skyz Metro FM Radio in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe as a resource person delivering presentations every Tuesday (Drive-Time) between 16.00 to 17.00 Central African Time (CAT) touching on all things on self-development.

Lovemore Dube

VICTORIA Falls delivered a track and field event to remember.

Almost 2 000 athletes, teachers, headmasters and parents invaded Zimbabwe’s prime resort city Victoria Falls last week for the National Association of Secondary School Heads Track and Field Championships.

The Games took part on Wednesday and Thursday with all the 10 provinces parading their best athletes selected at cluster/district and inter-district level.

The big incentive was making an impression to be selected to the Zimbabwe team to take part in the Confederation of Southern Africa Schools Sports Championships to be hosted by Zimbabwe in August.

Arthur Maphosa announced that ball games had already been scheduled for Bulawayo and that they were proceeding to ask for permission from Government to combine with track and field events.

He expressed hope that they will be given the greenlight to do so and the hosting of several countries in the City of Kings and Queens will be a big boost for tourism and city economy.

Arthur Maphosa

When the decision to have Victoria Falls as the competition hosts was announced, one of the biggest questions was where would  athletes run as there is no proper athletics facility. But all those fears were allayed on Tuesday when teams arrived to find a fine standard clay soil track with clearly marked lines.

Most of Victoria Falls is sandy and that was the source of the worries and that the other alternative was running on turf at a nearby primary school but the Mosi Oa Tunya High School facility passed the test.

Roland Sibanda who happens to be the headmaster in charge of athletics in the country and is also Mosi High School boss, said they worked hard to have a great track and pits for field events.

He was full of praise for the Victoria Falls community, the Nash Matabeleland North leadership and technical team for the hard work put into preparing the venue and hosting a memorable championship.

“It was team work all the way. The Victoria Falls community assisted us a great deal and we are so grateful to everyone who put in a good shift to have us play host to such a big event that also put Victoria Falls as a tourism destination on the fore.

The teams were able to visit the Falls at reduced charges thanks to our provincial directorate,” said Sibanda.

He said the crowds and their discipline also contributed to adding colour to their hosting the event   as they cheered athletes regardless of which province they were representing.

Sibanda said a seed had been planted for the city not to let the track decline. He said there were serious considerations for the setting up of a club and academy so that there are legacy gains from the hosting.

Victoria Falls Councillor Tafadzwa Mutowa, a sports enthusiast who was present in the two-day event was impressed.

“This has been a very successful and exciting competition. It has been great to see such a huge turnout of athletes and coaches invading our city. We have not disappointed as hosts and this has been incident free and it goes to show our people are starved of sporting activities. They came in their thousands to cheer athletes from all over the country,” said Mutowa.
A Victoria Falls resident Ashie Sibanda said he found the two days very exciting.

He said there was a lot of talent exhibited and what was needed was to identify, nurture it through a structured development pathway.

“We have talent for the future. More investment must be thrown into development and the best kept and developed gradually to beyond schools’ sport,” said Sibanda.

Brian Moyo, a Victoria Falls based sports consultant who was part of the volunteer local organising group, said volunteerism was key to sport development. He praised the school and the community for working tirelessly and putting the city on the sporting map.

Moyo said a legacy benefit that should not be lost is athletics rebirth in the city.

He said the games’ long lasting impact should be the establishment of an academy to retain the talent and consideration for long-term investment in infrastructure such as having the city boasting of a tartan track.

“We need an athletics track. Athletics has potential to drive sports tourism as schools sport has shown today. With a good facility we can have regular competition at national and international level. The city needs a good standard facility, for now we have to maintain the Mosi track and ensure the children from the city don’t look back after these games, we expect to see an academy formed and kids coached and exposed nationally and externally so that they inspire generations to come,” said Moyo.

Bakers Inn’s Clackson Masakwa weighed in with that sport needs sponsorship. He said where there was incentives athletes tended to perform better and he had experienced it first-hand following his company’s adoption of the Bulawayo Province athletics team.

Bulawayo looked great in their black and white tracksuits provided by Baker’s Inn and were accommodated at a hotel for the first time.

“We are glad to say we have seen a marked improved performance by Bulawayo. When there is motivation athletes can do well. It is testimony that sports need to be sponsored,” said Masakwa whose company is keen to see grassroots development of sport.

Mashonaland West were the champions of the event winning 19 gold medals, 55 silver, seven bronze.

Harare won 15 gold, 12 silver and 16 bronze with Mashonaland East third with 14 gold, 17 silver and eight bronze.
Of the Southern Region Provinces, Masvingo who finished on fourth position had 13 gold, eight silver and 14 bronze with Matabeleland South a surprise package finishing fifth with a total of nine gold, nine silver and 16 bronze.

Bulawayo were eighth with six gold, which is  double of last year’s tally, six silver and eight bronze.

The host province, Matabeleland North finished ninth with five gold, 13 silver and eight bronze.

Manicaland were the tail-enders on five gold, eight silver and 10 bronze.

Selected outstanding results:

Boys’ Under-21 Ngonidzashe Kowanayi (Masvingo) long jump 6,94m, Girls’ Under-21 Polite Moyo (Matabeland South) long jump 5,30m, Boys’ Under-17 Dylane Chamakwara (Mashonaland East) long jump 6,99m, Boys’ Under-21 Charlie Gainshine (Mashonaland Central) javelin 49,98m, Boys’ Under-17 Scott Wenham (Matabeleland South) javelin 54,6m,

Boys’ Under-15 Tafadzwa Matatika (Mashonaland West) javelin 46,0m, Girls’ Under-17 Ntombezinhle Ncube (Matabeleland North) Shotput 9,36m,
Ntombikayise Sibanda (Matabeleland South) Shotput 9,36m, Girls Under-15 Tawana Ndimutsei (Harare) Shotput 10,70m,

Girls’ Under-21 Jessica Hutchings (Harare) Discus 32,41m, Boys’ Under-17 Propser Zimbago (Mashonaland West) 47,69m,

Boys’ Under-21 Benison Mangombe (Mashonaland East) 14,99m

Boys’ Under-17 Blessmore Sibanda (Matabeleland North) High jump 1,78m, Boys’ Under-17 Tinashe Mugore (Mashonaland West) 1  500m 4 minutes 05,97 seconds, Boys’ Under-21 Kelvin Bvekerwa (Mashonaland East) 800m one minute 56,79 seconds, Bright Sibanda (Matabeleland North) one minute 58,44 seconds, Boys’ Under-17 Gift Khumalo (Matabeleland North) one minute 57,93 seconds

Boys’ Under-15 Tatenda Maulidi (Harare) two minutes 02,50 seconds, Boys’ Under-21 Denzil Ngavi (Matabeleland North) 48,37 seconds, Boys Under-21 Brendon Muvimi (Mashonaland West) 200m 21,78 seconds, Boys’ Under-21 Brendon Muvimi (Mashonaland West) 100m 10,47 seconds

Trevor Tauya (Manicaland) 100m 10,48 seconds, Moses Maodzwa (Harare) 100m 10,51 seconds

The curtain has fallen for actress Mbaliyesizwe Ngiba, who plays the character of Zodwa Mzobe on Mzansi Magic’s weekday telenovela, Umkhokha.

Ngiba’s character succumbed to the curse of suicide on Tuesday night’s episode, after discovering a hidden ancestral bag.

Taking to social media, Ngiba shared a video expressing her gratitude for her time on the telenovela.

“I thought I should take this opportunity to inform you of the sad news that I unfortunately have to deliver,” she said.

“Zodwa’s time is up on Umkhokha and I would like to thank everyone who supported me.

“I would like to thank production, channel, producers, casting directors and everyone who was part of the panel to choose me to play the character. I would also like to thank my fellow cast members and the viewers of the show.”

“I would like to thank production, channel, producers, casting directors and everyone who was part of the panel to choose me to play the character.

“I would also like to thank my fellow cast members and the viewers of the show.”

Ngib’as departure comes a month after vocalist and actor Mbuso Khoza, who played the role of Babu Maphalala, exited the show to pursue his podcast dreams and to focus on his music career.

According to reports, Ngiba’s contract was terminated after an incident with a security guard,  whom she allegedly insulted about earning R4  000.

Ngiba later apologised after the video of the alleged incident went viral.

She said she could not recall what had happened, however, she noted that her reaction was fuelled by an unpleasant treatment that she and her crew received from the security guard.

“We were leaving the hotel not knowing that we needed to have a code to exit and the person whom we got with there, had already left,” she explained at the time,” she said.

Apology to the security guard

“I tried to reason with the security guard, asking him to open for us, but he gave us an attitude.

“I think he said something to me and because the spirits were already high, I lost it and said words I should not have used.

“When I watch that video, I am not proud of the language that I used.”

She further apologised to the security officer, her fans and those who respect her.

“I would like to apologise to the security officer, I stepped on his toes, as well as to those who know me. Know that I am not one to look down upon other people,” she said. — Online

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

ZIMBABWEAN actress Chi Mhende continues to impress on the small screen in Mzansi, after snagging a role on White Lies, an M-Net series, which features former Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer in the lead role. 

The drama series, which is co-production between Quizzical Pictures and Fremantle, is set in Cape Town. 

Mhende’s career has grown in leaps and bounds south of the Limpopo, where she first caught the eye on SABC1’s Generations: The Legacy, playing Wandile Radebe, a transgender woman. 

Since then, Mhende has continued to scale new heights, appearing on high profile theatre productions while making an appearance on Queen Sono, Netflix’s debut production in Africa.

She also clinched a directorial role on Generations, the show that gave her the much-needed big break in Mzansi television.

Chi Mhende in “White Lies”

In the series, in which Mhende plays a maid to one of the main protagonists, journalist Edie Hansen (Dormer) gets caught up in the Cape’s ugly underworld after her brother is murdered in the wealthy neighbourhood of Bishopscourt in Cape Town’s southern suburbs. 

Dragged back into her tumultuous childhood, Edie’s investigation soon puts her at loggerheads with veteran detective Forty Bell (Brendon Daniels) and forces her to grapple with the crumbling local police force, a corrupt political system, and the secretive world of extreme wealth.

“There’s huge anticipation for White Lies — and viewers’ patience will be rewarded from the first seconds of the first episode,” said Waldimar Pelser, Channel Director: Premium Channels before the series’ première on M-Net recently. 

“Between a world-class local and international cast, searing storytelling, best-in-class production, and the backdrop of the best of the most beautiful city in the world, White Lies has all the ingredients for global success”.

White Lies is produced by Harriet Gavshon and Nimrod Geva for Quizzical Pictures, with Dormer and screenplay writer Darel Bristow-Bovey also serving as executive producers. The series’s lead director is The Wound’s John Trengove, alongside Thati Pele (Lerato), Catharine Cooke (Reyka), and Christiaan Olwagen (Poppie Nongena, Kanarie). The series is created by Sean Steinberg with UK casting by Matt Western.