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Mzala Tom

King Sobhuza was born around 1788. He is considered as the founder of modern Eswatini. His father was King Ndvungunye Zikodze, ruler of the Ngwane kingdom. Sobhuza I was also known as Somhlolo.

The name Somhlolo (man of mysteries) is in reference to the mysteries, uncommon wisdom and prophetic gifts that were associated with his life. It is said that on the day that he was born, his father was struck by lightning.

His reign in the early 1800s marked an important phase in the history of Eswatini. As Sobhuza began his reign, the Ngwane kingdom territory was centred along the Phongolo River to the south of modern Eswatini  and it’s northern boundaries covered today’s southern Eswatini.

The Ngwane were ruled by the Dlamini dynasty, who had earlier ruled an area around the Lubombo Mountains to the east.

It was then only under Sobhuza’s grandfather, Ngwane III  that the Dlamini kings conquered more than 12 clans to establish the country Sobhuza inherited. Early in Sobhuza’s reign, the Ngwane kingdom faced strong attacks and threats of annihilation by the more powerful Ndwandwe and Zulu kingdoms to the south.

The Ngwane were eventually displaced from the fertile lands along the Phongolo River, by the more powerful Ndwandwe.

This was sometime between 1818-19. Sobhuza was forced to move his people and his capital northward into what is now Zombodze, in central Eswatini. The former royal centres in Shiselweni became southern outposts.

On their way north, the Ngwane attacked and scattered the Maseko clan in the great Usuthu valley. The Ngwane also conquered the Pedi. They then settled in the upper Nkomati valley, far from the Ndwandwe threats. In the meantime, Zwide was at war with Shaka in the south.

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King Sobhuza

When Zwide fled from the Zulu defeat in 1819, he took his people to Sobhuza’s country around the Upper Nkomati. Sobhuza then withdrew south-eastwards. The Ndwandwe were now too weak to follow and attack the Ngwane. Through diplomacy Sobhuza and Zwide ended up becoming allies.

To seal their alliance, Sobhuza offered to marry Zwide’s daughter Thandile. After securing peace with the Ndwandwe, around 1820, Sobhuza began a more peaceful process of state building, fixing his capital in Usuthu valley.

From this capital, Sobhuza collected regular tribute from the Pedi in the high veld, the Tsonga in the low veld, as well the small Nguni chiefdoms in the middle veld country around Usuthu valley. Sobhuza therefore founded the state known today as Eswatini.

Sobhuza’s kingdom became comparable in scope and power to that of the Zulu. The Swati kingdom was an incorporation of three categories of people groups known as Bemdzabuko, Emakhandzambili  and Emafikamuva. This was through Sobhuza’s wisdom and nation building skills.

By the time of his death around 1836/1839, Sobhuza had conquered territories claimed to reach to modern day Barberton in the north, Carolina in the west, Phongolo River in the south and Lubombo Mountains in the east.

Sobhuza I was succeeded by his son Mswati (Mswati II), born by his wife Thandile the daughter of Zwide. Mswati succeeded  his father after his death sometime in 1839-40, but only started ruling around 1845 after he was mature and underwent circumcision rites.

Mswati dealt with internal rebellion, pressures resulting from Boer invasions into the eastern Transvaal and land rivalries with Mpande’s Zulu in the Ingwavuma River area. He expanded the control of Sobhuza’s original kingdom, to include much of modern Eswatini lowveld.

Around August 1865, Mswati died prematurely at the height of his success. His successors, Ludvongo and after 1874, Mbandzeni, were unable to preserve Swazi power against Boer land claims and pursuit of minerals.

By 1890, Eswatini had virtually collapsed as an autonomous polity  and was preserved from incorporation into the Union of South Africa in 1910, by being colonised by the British in the aftermath of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899–1902.

Mbandzeni (Ngwane V), was succeeded by his son Nkhotfotjeni who became Sobhuza II. At the time of his father’s death around 1899 Nkhotfotjeni was only four months old. His grandmother Labotsibeni and his uncle Prince Malunge led the Swazi nation, until his maturity in 1921. Sobhuza II was recognised as King by the British in 1967, and he led Eswatini to it’s independence in 1968. He reigned until his death in 1982. He was succeeded by the incumbent King Mswati III at age 18 in 1986. King Sobhuza II reigned for 82 years and 254 days.

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ABEL Nkhoma the man tasked with carrying the newly independent Zimbabwe’s flag at the 1980 Olympics says he was excited with the attainment of majority rule.

Getting to be a flag bearer is a moment he will always cherish.

“That stands as a proud moment for me. I was chosen to carry the Zimbabwe flag at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. I have been to the podium but leading my fellow countrymen was a great feeling,” said Nkhoma on Thursday as he spoke to Sunday Life while at the funeral of a man he called “dad” Jeremiah Ganizani Banda.

He spoke with a heavy heart of a sport and athletics community that has turned its back on him.

“I had to sell my car to raise money to bury my father. Athletics has turned its back on me, my friends from athletics are nowhere to be seen. There is no benefit in being called an athletics legend,” said Nkhoma.

At Independence Nkhoma had won the Matopos 33-Miler thrice and several other competitions.

He was the hottest property in an era where Patrick Chipoyi, Freddie Kashiri, Jacob Ndiweni and Lazwell Ngoma rated among the best in distances from 21km to 65km in the country.

Nkhoma said they looked forward to competing internationally. Prior to Independence he had only been to South Africa and Swaziland.

So independent Zimbabwe offered sportspersons a new lease of life.

Avenues were opened for the athletes to compete against all countries of the world, venturing into African, Commonwealth and Olympic Games bigger stages for podium material athletes.

“It’s every athlete’s dream to compete for your country. Independence was good for all sportspersons, indeed a welcome development,” he said.

Nkhoma believes legends should be honoured, celebrated in life and not through beautiful graveside eulogies.

A pensioner who resides in Bindura in Mashonaland Central Province was forced to retire because of illness.

In his retirement Nkhoma has worked with athletes such as Mike Fokorani, Manonoko Masiyiwa and Julia Sakala.

He has over the years assisted Mashonaland Central, National Association Secondary School Heads and National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph and Nash) athletes.

He is disappointed that he was not invited to accompany the Naph team to Masvingo and Nash to Victoria Falls for the athletics finals on Wednesday and Thursday.

“There are so many athletes I worked with after retiring in 1994 who I coached to prominence through the Chamber of Mines,” said Nkhoma.

He described the collapse of mines as a catastrophe to the Zimbabwean sport.

“Mines were the cornerstone of Zimbabwe sport and the Chamber of Mines Championships must be re-introduced gradually with the involvement of those few mines that can afford. As the situation improves on the economic end, many more can always come on board,” said Nkhoma, a Matopos 33-Miler legend with over three triumphs and several top five finishes.

Born in Cam and Motor (Rio Tinto in Kadoma) on 3 December 1961, Nkhoma attended primary school there.

“I was never anywhere near the sports fields during those days. My focus was singing, I was part of the choir and I enjoyed it,” said Nkhoma.

For his secondary school he went to Mutorashanga where he would not finish because of the untimely death of his stepfather forcing him to return to Cam and Motor Mine.

He started running in 1976, doing it for fun every morning until he met legend Musaope Phiri, winner of over a dozen marathons in Zimbabwe.

Phiri too was part of the Moscow Olympics Zimbabwe contingent.

“I then started running with Phiri who was older and more experienced who would introduce me to the mine’s Harry Stobbart who was the club coach at Cam and Motor.

“My first race was 16km Kamfisa Road Race in Harare in 1977 and I was second and there begun my long journey in the sport. The winner was Ronnie Hill who came from the UK and the third spot went to an athlete from Mhangura,” said Nkhoma.

Sadly for their sweat those days there was no prize money and one was lucky to get a voucher or hamper. He earned himself a tracksuit for doing well in the Kamfisa race.

His next race was a near disaster. He finished ninth in the OK Half-Marathon. He said he was not disheartened by his poor finish but felt the urge to work harder.

He was to run almost two dozens of races between 1977 and 1979 with a memorable one being the Trojan Mine 21km in which he finished second behind the legendary Tapfumaneyi Jonga.

Nkhoma paid tribute to athletics greats of that era Zephaniah Ncube, Jonga, Phiri, Lazwell Ngoma and Kenias Tembo.

“The track athletes were just as good in terms of competitiveness as their counterparts in road running,” he said.
Rio Tinto gave Nkhoma a job and he had the comfort of running for the mine knowing there was bread on the table for the family at the end of the day.

“So with participating in the Chamber of Mines, athletes were assured of jobs. That was the biggest motivation for us,” said Nkhoma.

He won the prized Matopos 33-Miler on three consecutive occasions from 1978. In 1979 he had a first taste of international competition finishing second in a full marathon in Swaziland.

But the 1980 Matopos 33-Miler came with probably his biggest win, a ticket to take part in the Comrades Marathon for which he had his first airplane ride.

Unknown to him his efforts and potential had caught national selectors and he was literally forced to go to Moscow for the Olympics.

“With winning the Matopos carried a prize of flying to Durban to run the Comrades in June. Little did I know I was in the list of those selected for Moscow (then the Soviet Union). After running 89km I was sapped of all the energy and my body needed to rest for several months before another big race.

“The authorities said I would not be left out for Zimbabwe’s first participation. I was given the honours to be the flag bearer there,” said Nkhoma, who would later finish the Moscow Marathon in a position outside the top 200 which he has even forgotten.

“My body was tired, was worn out from the Swaziland Marathon which I had done in 2 hours 27 minutes, the 33-Miler and Comrades all within a calendar year,” said the athlete who represented Zimbabwe in other international events especially the regional marathons involving countries from the Sadc with relative success.

“We ran for fun and for our jobs. There was no prize money at all when we started. In the Chamber of Mines we were given blankets for first position, second had shirts while third assured one of a pair of stockings. Nowadays road runners are professionals making a living from running without even worrying about a mine to employ them,” said Nkhoma, a widower with two sons left after two other children, daughters died.

Over the years he has been one of Mashonaland Central’s coaches at the Zimbabwe Youth Games.

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Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

WHEN Jonathan “Mntakagogo” Moyo took to the stage at the commissioning of the Bubi-Lupane Irrigation Scheme on 25 September in 2001, he did not know that his life was about to change. 

For years, Mntakagogo, had taken praise poetry as a hobby, a useful tool that he could pull out when the occasion called for it. For example, in his family, he was known as the guy who would recite poems during funerals, sending the departed with a few words of praise for their deeds on earth while giving the living words of comfort as they mourned their loved one. 

However, on this occasion, Mntakagogo was now being asked to perform for a far more esteemed audience. He was within earshot of the country’s Head of State and Government, President Mnangagwa, an honour many will not have the privilege of attaining in their lives. 

It seemed those years he had spent writing and practising in front of the mirror had finally led him to this moment. He just had to impress and impress he did. 

When all was said and done, Mntakagogo had won the President’s heart. However, it would be a few weeks before he could find out how truly impressive his performance had been. 

“The President saw me performing, I think it was on the 25th of September in 2021,” he told Sunday Life on the sidelines of another performance recently. 

“What happened was that, after that performance, I went back to college, because it was my final year, and while I was there that’s when I received a call from the President’s Office outlining the fact that the country’s leader wanted to see me. I went to see Umdala, managed to see him and he helped me with my education and that is some other things which changed a lot in my life.” 

Mntakagogo describes meeting the President as an out-of-body experience. 

As he shook hands with the country’s leader, he felt that he was watching another person exchange pleasantries with the country’s Head of State. 

When he walked out of State House that day Mntakagogo, then a student at Hillside Teachers College, was given heifers and funds to help him finish his education. In addition, he walked out with the knowledge that he was a gifted poet whose tongue had the power to move even respected statesmen. 

“It was something that gave me a lot of verve to continue doing this. It made me feel important. I say this because for a long time, I regarded poetry as a hobby. That is the way that I feel even now but there were people that kept telling me that I could do this professionally and make money from it. For me, I enjoyed and still enjoy doing it for the love of the craft. Sometimes people think I am now too expensive to hire but that is not the case because I am doing this mostly because I enjoy it. So, when the President called me, I was really chuffed and it gave me the strength to pursue this even with more vigour. Even at the graduation at the Lupane State University, he recognised me and that is another thing that inspired me to continue doing what I am doing,” he said. 

Before that occasion, Mntakagogo confesses that he did not see himself as anything beyond an occasional performer. While he said he was bitten by the poetry bug at a tender age, Mntakagogo only began taking it seriously much later in his life. 

“I was someone that was always interested in the arts even from a young age. I remember in primary school, I was in the drama club and I was also in a group that also did imbube. But things were different back then because perhaps teachers did not have a lot of interest in things like that so I didn’t get a lot of guidance and even in secondary school I really did not get a lot of encouragement but I kept on the same path. I always used to write poetry and I would exhibit it during funerals in the family whenever we were sending someone off. 

“When I got to Hillside Teachers’ College that was when I began to do this on a more serious level because I remember I was asked to perform during Miss Hillside Teachers’ College which was rolled into one with the Culture Day. I remember after that there were people who saw me perform who invited me to come and do the same at their wedding because this was all happening in December. The rest, as they say, is history,” he said.

Like many young people in Zimbabwe, Mntakagogo was raised by his grandparents. 

While he lived under their roof, their love for isiNdebele was bequeathed to him and in appreciation of this, he adopted a name that pays homage to his grandmother in particular when he was reborn as a poet. 

“The name Mntakagogo comes from the fact that I was just lucky enough to be raised by my grandparents. My parents separated when I was in secondary school and from that time I was in high school and when that happened I was taken to stay with my grandparents. I was raised by my grandmother and she treated me very well and that is something that I never forgot. So, when the time came for me to choose a name, I just called myself Mntakagogo,” he said. 

Now a qualified teacher who is also studying for his Sports Science Degree at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), Mntakagogo admits that he sometimes struggles to find a balance between his life as a teacher on one hand and as a poet on the other. 

“Balancing my profession and poetry has been my hardest challenge. In terms of isiNdebele, I think that I would say my tongue and mastery of the language were strengthened when I was in A-level. However, when I went to teachers college, I started studying sport because that is something that I was always talented in as well so I’m now teaching PE to students at Mabhikwa Secondary School in Lupane. The problem now is striking a balance between my formal work, because I am grooming quite a few kids, and my performances. I am also doing my Sports Science Degree at Nust so that further complicates things when I am booked to perform, particularly on weekends because that clashes with my lessons. 

Preparing a perfect piece, because I am a perfectionist and I always want to present something clean, takes a lot of work. I never want to prepare shoddy work and that means that I need time to prepare my pieces. Sometimes I think if I did Ndebele and taught Ndebele, this would have helped me because I would know that what I teach complements my other trade. As it is, I have to switch from a PE teacher to a praise poet at the drop of a hat and it’s not easy,” he said. 

Mntakagogo pinpoints Desire Moyoxide as the one poet who inspired him to take the craft seriously. 

“The person who really inspired me is Desire Moyoxide. I was listening to one of his poems one day and I thought, this is something that I could do. I had always been writing poetry but that moment sparked a new desire in me to do this at a higher level,” he said. 

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Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

WHEN Cont Mhlanga announced his retirement in 2016, his stated intention was to retreat to the serenity of the countryside in Lupane, Matabeleland North Province. 

An illustrious journey that had begun in his father’s backyard before he founded Amakhosi Cultural Centre 32-year prior, seemed to have finally come to an end. After over three decades, he was now leaving the frenetic life of a theatre or TV director for the relative calm of rural life. 

Mhlanga now wanted to wake up to the countryside’ summer cool breeze and sound of bleating goats. This, at least he thought in 2016, was what he wanted. 

Before long, however, Mhlanga found himself flirting with the arts again. The long and fruitful romance that had begun in 1982 was not quite over. 

There was time for one more dance. Once, again Mhlanga found himself bewitched, mesmerised by a spell he largely cast upon himself. 

When he moved to Lupane, Mhlanga fell in love with a story that he had heard repeatedly while growing up. This was the story of King Lobengula’s journey from a burning Bulawayo, all the way to the Shangani River where his forces spilt the blood of colonial forces in his honour and defence. 

From his humble homestead, Mhlanga could hear the echoes of that ancient conflict, the battle cries of brave warriors and the death rattle of the Martini-Henry breech loading single-shot rifle. 

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Pupu Battlefield Memorial Site

The urge to create, to bring an old story to life, was reawakened. The old fire that was starting to die down within him was rekindled and the Pupu-Shangani Festival was born. 

“Our intention with the festival was always to tell the story of the Pupu-Shangani Battle and to do so with the help of the people that have always lived in the area,” recalled the festival’s co-ordinator, Thembelihle Mhlanga. 

“The intention of the festival to take the people of Zimbabwe to the graves in Pupu through art and storytelling. We wanted this to be a Zimbabwean thing that would bring our people closer to our history, closer to their own story. So, we wanted to bring everyone along, with the festival telling the story alongside the people that live in the area. It is important to note that the carnival itself was meant to symbolise the Ndebele entourage’s crossing the Shangani River.” 

Last week, Mhlanga would have smiled from Heaven as the country’s top brass made the long trek to Pupu to highlight the importance of a battle that was for over century only remembered in song.  Thembelihle said what unfolded last week in Pupu was something that Mhlanga had worked hard to see brought to life. 

“Cont always wanted to chart the journey from where it began right up to the tree, umtswiri. However, it was always important to him that the events that led to that moment when the king disappeared be documented as well. Cont understood that a lot of things happened during the journey, right to up to the battle and the king’s rest or disappearance. So, that is what he wanted to highlight because even during the journey, a lot of things were lost including the king’s treasures. Cont’s idea was to bring the story to life because if you look at the battleground, you can still find the tree where the Maxim gun was mounted.  

“We wanted everything to be documented and we were lucky that in the area there were people who were old and had an intimate knowledge of the history of the place from even before people settled there. For example, there was an old man called Magagula who was really resourceful because he knew how history had unfolded from what he had been told by his elders,” said Mhlanga.

In the last interview that Sunday Life did with Mhlanga, he volunteered his time, guiding the news crew from Bulawayo all the way to Cross Malunku, King Lobengula Road and Nkayi-Lupane Road in Lupane where the Ndebele monarch is said to have passed on his way to the Shangani River. 

Eventually, Mhlanga led the news crew to the river itself, where he was at pains to point out that the King had not disappeared, as a song that chronicles his fate claims, but had instead moved into Zambia. 

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Indeed, the search for King Lobengula’s grave is something that consumed Mhlanga later in his life. According to Thembelihle, the ultimate aim of the Pupu-Shangani Festival was to eventually partner with the Livingstone Cultural Festival (LICAF) in Zambia. 

It is said that at the festival, the story of King Lobengula’s journey after he left Zimbabwe was told. Mhlanga wanted to bring those two stories, told separately for so long, together. 

“Our intention was to eventually merge with the LICAF. That was the ultimate goal of the festival because we knew that on the Zambian side, they have a story on the journey of King Lobengula. It is a story that is told at LICAF and our intention was to bring the two stories together. The Zambian side would tell the story from their own perspective. So in the end both stories would merge making the narrative about King Lobengula’s journey whole,” he said. 

For fellow arts practitioner Raisedon Baya, the fact that the story of the Pupu Battle has now been recognised as an essential part of the country’s history that needs to be documented is testament to Mhlanga’s vision and passion for stories that tell the Zimbabwean experience. His dream, it is now evident, was a valid one. 

“Cont was many things. Besides his interest in telling stories he loved history and culture. He had so many historical stories about Bulawayo, how the townships were named and the like. But when he moved to Lupane he was more interested in telling the Pupu story. He wanted curate activities at the actual place where the battle happened, he wanted the story known. It’s unfortunate he couldn’t tell the story the way he wanted because of resources,” said Baya. 

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GREETINGS beloved nation in the name of Jesus Christ. We are entering into the season of Passover whereby all nations of the world will be celebrating the Passover which started in the book of Exodus with the children of Israel being exempted from judgement.

Israel had been under bondage for 430 years. There were plagues that were released in Egypt so that Pharaoh would release God’s people. But Pharaoh would not release them because of the hardness of his heart.

However, there was one final plague that God released which was the death of the first borns. In Exodus 12:3 it says, “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house.”

We see that God was about to judge the Egyptians but Israel had to do a prophetic act that speaks of the blood of Jesus. God commanded every family in Israel to take a lamb for each household. That lamb was speaking about Jesus and that Jesus had to die so that we may be saved from sin and pain.

In verse 7 the bible says they were commanded to put the blood on their doorposts. In verse 12-13 it says, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”

We see that the blood exempted them from the plague of death. So if you are not born again you are dead spiritually. If you receive Christ Jesus you shall have life and have it in abundance. We see the Passover in the houses of Israel because there was the blood that was speaking protection and covering. So it is the blood of Jesus that can protect a person and cover them so that the angel of death will not destroy those who are covered by the blood.

We see that the blood of Jesus is more powerful than any other blood. We should understand that there is power in the blood, but the blood of Jesus is more powerful than any other blood.

The bible says the blood of Jesus speaks of better things than the blood of Abel. Meaning that the blood can speak. We see the blood of Abel speaking vengeance and we see the blood of Jesus speaking forgiveness and reconciliation.

We need to understand the mystery of the blood. All blood is powerful to a certain extent. From a medical point of view, we are told that some illnesses require that blood transfusion be done in order for that person to be healed, and that is the blood of a person. It shows that it has a certain power.

When people go to witch doctors the blood of animals is shed and in turn they testify to a turnaround in their situations.

All that speaks of the blood. In 2 Kings 3 we are told of the Israelites who were fighting the Moabites. In verse 25-27 we see the king of Moabites using the blood of his child when he saw they were being defeated by Israel and when he sacrificed his child, Israel turned back. That is the blood being used. In spite of that, there is a highest sacrifice and that is the blood of Jesus that is more powerful than any other blood.

Revelations 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

The bible says they overcame ‘him’ which is the devil by the blood of the lamb and by the words of their testimony.

You see this blood has power over the devil who has been terrorising the nations of the world. In Leviticus the bible says the life of a creature is in the blood, meaning there is life in the blood of Jesus. The bible says in John 6:53, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”

So meaning there is life in the blood of Jesus. I want to invite those who are not born again to come to Jesus, accept His as your personal Lord and saviour. May the Lord God bless our beloved nation Zimbabwe. Amen.
Feedback: dominionlifechurch01@gmail.com

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Sean Combs – also known as P Diddy and Puff Daddy – has been embroiled in a string of serious allegations in recent months.

The 54-year-old’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by Homeland Security Investigations agents on 25 March.

But what exactly is he accused of – and what has he had to say about it?

What are the allegations?

The raids on the rapper’s properties were part of an ongoing sex-trafficking investigation by federal authorities in New York.

According to Sky’s US partner network NBC News, three women and a man were interviewed by federal officials in Manhattan in relation to the probe.

The investigation includes further allegations of sexual assault, solicitation, and distribution of illegal drugs and firearms.

Combs has also recently faced several lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and other wrongdoing.

In February, a music producer alleged Combs coerced him to solicit prostitutes and pressured him to have sex with them.

Combs’s lawyer responded by saying: “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies”.

The rapper’s former protégé and girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, also sued him in November alleging she was trafficked, raped, plied with drugs and beaten by Combs over a 10-year period.

The lawsuit claimed he forced her to have sex with male prostitutes while he filmed them. The case was settled the day after it was filed. Also in November, Combs was sued by Joie Dickerson-Neal who alleged he drugged and sexually assaulted her when she was a psychology student at Syracuse University in January 1991. She also accused him of filming the attack.

Combs rejected the claims as “made up and not credible”, with a spokesperson branding them “purely a money grab and nothing more”.
Another of the rapper’s accusers is a woman who claims he “gang raped” her two decades ago after she was plied with drugs and alcohol at the age of 17.

What has Sean Combs said?

He has denied all the allegations.

In a statement in December, Combs described the claims he was facing then as “sickening” and alleged his accusers were “looking for a quick payday”.

“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth,” he said.

Following the raids on his house in late March, Combs’s lawyer Aaron Dyer said there had been a “gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed”.

“There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated,” he added. — SkyNews

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Kahle Counselling Hub

MENTAL health is defined as a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the day-to-day demands of life. A healthy state of mind helps one to realise their capabilities, learn well, work well and be able to contribute meaningfully to their community.

It is an important component of health and well-being that supports our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. It is a basic human right and it is fundamental to personal, community and socio-economic development.

1. Women and mental health

Women’s mental health is a critical topic and understanding the unique challenges faced by women is necessary. Here are some key issues affecting women’s mental well-being:

Depression: Depression is more common in women than men, mainly because of hormonal changes during pregnancy, after child birth, menopause which can contribute to symptoms of depression. In addition, socio-cultural factors including sexual harassment, submissive domestic roles, lack of social power and gender-biased prejudices.

Anxiety: According to research, women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety. This is as a result of socio-cultural imbalances, life transitions (such as pregnancy and motherhood), as well as external stressors which contribute to anxiety in women.

Trauma: Experiences like violence from abusive relationships, financial problems and poverty impact women’s mental health too. These traumatic experiences also lead to anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges.

Eating Disorders: Societal pressures relating to the body image often contribute to the prevalence in eating disorders among women. There is so much pressure in trying to maintain an attractive figure, a standard that has been set by media and modelled by celebrities and influential people in society.

Suicide: Women are more prone to suicide as a result of depression and anxiety which increase the risk of suicide. It’s critical to recognise warning signs and provide support.

Substance Use Disorders: Substance misuse affects both genders, but women face unique challenges due to biological differences and societal expectations.

Disparities in Health Care: Despite living longer than men on average, women spend 25 percent more of their lives in poor health and may encounter inequalities in accessing mental health care.

2. How are women responding to therapy?

In recent years, with the advent of Covid-19, there has been an increase in mental health awareness and many people are now prioritizing their health and well-being. The stigma surrounding mental health is also decreasing slowly as people begin to appreciate the importance of keeping a healthy state of mind.

Women are more willing to seek therapy as compared to men who would normally turn to outlets such as alcohol and drug use, while women prefer to talk about their feelings.

Women tend to have better social networks and find it easier to confide in their family and friends. This makes them more likely to seek help from professional therapists and counsellors.

3. Benefits of counselling

Women face unique challenges throughout their lives which can be addressed in therapy. Some of the common women’s issues include managing stress, dealing with relationship issues, navigating life transitions, coping with fertility concerns and handling menopause. Counselling then empowers women to find solutions to their problems as well as healthy coping styles.

Counselling also helps women gain some understanding into their relationship dynamics, teaches them how to communicate effectively, establish healthy boundaries, as well as develop strategies for resolving conflicts.

In motherhood, counselling can address concerns like parenting challenges, coping with postpartum depression, anxiety around raising children and navigating the balance between work and family life.

In therapy, women can address the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that contribute to their food and body image issues and work to develop healthier coping mechanisms. This may involve discussions about societal beauty standards, self-esteem and self-acceptance.

4. Role of a counsellor in women facing mental health challenges

Counselling provides a safe space for addressing concerns with empathy, expertise and understanding. Women are helped through the turmoil of their emotions, relationships and promote personal growth.

Women experiencing mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) also benefit from counselling. They are helped to better understand their mental health, develop coping strategies and explore the underlying causes of their symptoms.

Women are better supported in their journey towards emotional well-being and resilience, by addressing the effects of discrimination, harassment and violence through counselling. They are empowered with basic social skills to navigate their experiences and overcome obstacles.

Counselling must be offered by professionally trained and licensed counsellors in an environment that is non judgemental, empathetically and confidentiality is observed.

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Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday Life Reporter

DOEK and Slay Bulawayo is gearing up for its return on 14 April in Bulawayo at the ZITF Main Arena, with an extravaganza that is set to celebrate African fashion and culture.

In what will be its third edition, the event is set to empower women in the community, with a focus on connecting with local business owners and creatives.

“This time, we’re focusing even more on supporting women in the community. They’ll have the chance to meet local business owners and creative people,” said Anesu Rwanga, the founder and organiser of the event.

“It’s going to be even better than before, we are excited to celebrate African culture and fashion with women.”

Rwanga said Doek and Slay has grown since its inception in Zimbabwe, offering different activities, vendors, and entertainment.

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Doek and slay Bulawayo

“Doek and Slay has grown a lot since we started. We’re offering a wider variety of things to do, things to buy, and entertainment. It’s going to be an immersive experience. There’s something for everyone. We’ll have amazing fashion shows, inspiring talks, yummy food, and a chance to hang out with other women,” said Rwanga.

The lineup of performers includes Ex Q, Feli Nandi, and Band Fusion from Bulawayo.

The floral theme of this edition aims to celebrate growth, vibrancy, and feminine beauty.

“The theme this year is all about flowers – celebrating growth, brightness, and feminine beauty. It’s a chance to wear bold colours and cool patterns in your doek and outfit. But you can also show off your own style – Doek and Slay is all about being yourself.

“To all Bulawayo women, get ready to sing, dance, and have a great time. This edition is a chance to wear bold colours and cool patterns in your doek and outfit.

“We can’t wait to see Bulawayo women at Doek and Slay, It’s going to be an amazing time,” Rwanga said.

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta go back a long way. The Spaniards’ relationship started in 1997 when Arteta joined Barcelona’s academy — meeting his idol and Barca skipper Guardiola. Their time as team-mates was brief but a friendship had been forged and continued when Guardiola made him his assistant at Etihad Stadium in 2016.

As the pair prepare to go head-to -head when their title-chasing sides meet in the Premier League on Sunday, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague looks at the similarities and differences between the pair.

There is plenty Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have in common.

On the pitch, their teams set up with three centre-backs and two central midfielders, they hound rivals to get the ball back when they lose it. They like to move the ball around with a high tempo.

Their behaviour on the bench is similar. They are full of passion and energy. They both have a huge capacity to convince players to do what they need them to do

They also like to intervene in what happens on the pitch (with surprising or quick substitutions, changes of tactics) and in the squad, with no fear of taking big decisions.

Both managers want to be in control of everything and struggle to accept defeat. They both were influenced by Barcelona’s academy, La Masia, where their coaches made drawings of what was going to happen in games and how to sort out any problems.

They are both sponges. Guardiola has, for instance, taken lessons from chess and volleyball. Arteta has studied the stop-start sport of American Football, as football is going that way, among other things because of video assistant referees.

And also from the NFL, Arteta has been studying what to do with those players that are not close to the ball and also how to make them feel important. They know every detail counts. Including before matches. Arteta has taken from rugby union’s All Blacks that body language counts. He is convinced intimidating the rival even before the game starts is important. It generates security in your team and fear in the rival.

But they have things that separate them. Arteta, more influenced by a long stay as a player in the Premier League, likes to be more aggressive with the ball. Arsenal tend to find their forwards and wingers as soon as they can, while Guardiola prefers to wait to attack if the path is not clear.

They are in a different moment in life. Arteta is closer to the Guardiola from 10 years ago, with his overflowing passion and his wish to be a top manager. Guardiola is now more reflective, calmer.

Training is also different. Their philosophy is the same, and Arteta has taken a huge amount from Guardiola, but there is a slight difference now.

Guardiola focuses work on the game, on what might happen and what has to happen, and that requires lots of corrections at all times — one of the main reasons for his success. Arteta, perhaps more focused on individual training than Guardiola, is also very big on competition, on intensity, and prefers to let training run, rather than making many stops to correct players.

They need everyone but show it in different ways. Guardiola likes to take everyone at the club into a room every three months to remind them what is important. Arteta likes to have even the masseurs and the physios, everyone that is important to the players, in training so they study on the ground what is important to the footballers, how work influences them.

They are master and pupil. And while Guardiola has managed to control hugely what happens on the pitch, Arteta is still working to make his team dominate all aspects of the game. And he will look out for answers within himself and also in those lessons he took being close to Guardiola. — BBC Sport

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Nkosilathi Sibanda, Sports Reporter 

IT takes just an hour for Kuzivaishe Chapepa to pull through her morning training sessions.

The 13-year-old Chapepa is a tennis player and Africa’s number one in the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) circuit.

From 5.30am to 6.30am she does her drills under the supervision of her coach, while her father cheers her on from the sidelines.

From there, she prepares for school. Hers is not the usual schooling. She does her learning over the computer between 8am and 12 mid-day.

After lunch time, Chapepa heads back to training until the end of day. 

They call it home schooling and it is well defined as a practice where a learner decides not to attend formal school, chooses to do lessons at home or from any private space. 

Home schooling is a growing trend for many young athletes of late. Chapepa was lucky to get a scholarship from the International Tennis Federation (ITF). She is part of the ITF online education programme and trains with Curro Hazeldean Academy in South Africa.

On school holidays, she practices under renowned Bulawayo coach Thesly Mufunda at the Bulawayo Athletics Club (BAC)-based Global Athlete Performance Sports. 

Home schooling is now an alternative for many children doing sport in the country. The trend is popular with tennis, swimming, squash, football, volleyball and athletics stars.

Most of the athletes that have been drafted to home schooling do so outside the country. 

Home schooling came about after it was discovered that athletes need to cut on pressure and balance sport and academics.

The concept, according to sports psychologists, provides athletes with more time to practice and train.  

Home educated athletes, it has been discovered, have an advantage to pursue careers in sport and also go professional.

Often times, home schooling is done by athletes in private schools. Those in public institutions find it difficult to do such and there have been concerns that Government has to change its stance on home schooling in public schools.

Matabeleland North Sport and Recreation Commission Matabeleland North co-ordinator Newman Masuku, is of the view that home schooling works well with young athletes as they get to focus more on their talent, at the same time getting the necessary education to complement their grooming.

Masuku said he has met many young athletes in schools sport who do well in balancing their life.

“The advantage with home schooling is that there is a lot of parental support.  At the recent National Association of Secondary School Heads athletics event in Victoria Falls, I saw a child doing javelin who is under home schooling. Her parents were there to support her, of which it is plausible. That child gets tremendous support from parents and coaches. 

“Home schooling gives the individual more exposure to the sport they are engaged in. They adapt easily to any situation. It is recommended that if parents can afford, they invest in their child’s home schooling,” said Masuku.

He, however, said there was a setback with home schooling.

“Socially, at times kids on home schooling tend to lose out. They are not in the everyday system that exposes children to playing and socialising. They miss out on team work and interaction, which are essential in sport grooming.

“Going forward, we need to adapt to the home schooling concept in all sport codes. We have seen the trend elsewhere in hockey and other sports where parents do support their children. Let’s spread that and have it across board if resources permit,” said Masuku.

With parents of children doing home schooling, it has been a fair experience of trials and tribulations. 

They attest that it is a working formula that has to be adopted in the education system. 

Speaking of her child’s home schooling, Chapepa’s father, Frederick, said it has worked well in making sure she spends time concentrating on school and sport.

Frederick applauds the home schooling concept.

“The truth is, it’s never easy for children to balance sport and their schooling. There are times when Kuzivaishe has to write an examination but they are participating in a final match of a tournament. 

“Sometimes they write their examinations on court, awaiting to play a game. We, at times find ourselves begging match officials to delay the match a bit so that the child finishes the examination. It’s not easy as some teachers think sport is a waste of time,” said Chapepa.

A local tutor who specialises in home schooling, Thabani Ncube said it is all about time management.

“I have been teaching children in their private spaces for some time now. What I can say is that home schooling makes the learner know how to manage their time. 

“For those that are into sport, it is the way to go. You cannot concentrate well at a particular field when your time is being controlled by a system,” he said.

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Mzala Tom

King Soshangana was born in present day KwaNongoma in KwaZulu to Zikode kaGasa, a chief of the Ndwandwe empire under King Zwide kaLanga. The Gasa occupied the Mkhuze region around the eTshaneni mountain.

After the collapse of the Ndwandwe empire, Soshangana, along with his four brothers followed the example of other Ndwandwe parties by fleeing King Shaka.

They took a route along the eastern foothills of Lubombo through Mngomezulu to the upper Tembe River.

In the Tembe area, King Soshangana lived for about five years, fortifying his group by constant raids. In about 1825, he crossed the Tembe River and marched north-west. Between 1825 and 1827 he lived on a tributary of the Nkomati River north of present-day Maputo.

King Soshangana defeated almost all the Ronga clans of the vicinity of Delagoa Bay without encountering any resistance and raided their cattle. Their young women were taken captive and the defeated young men were taken up in his army.

His following was reinforced by many Ndwandwe refugees after the defeat of Sikhunyani by Shaka in 1826. King Soshangana and his people stayed in the region of Delagoa Bay until 1828, when he defeated King Shaka’s army at Bileni.

After a few years King Zwangendaba returned from the north and joined Soshangana. After about two years together, mutual jealousies arose, and King Zwangendaba was forced to break ranks and carve his own kingdom.

King Soshangana’s residence was in the lower Limpopo valley.

His capital was located at Ekuphumuleni near present day Chaimite in the Gaza province of Mozambique.

From there, Soshangana sent his regiments in different directions to subdue local people. Using the military tactics which they had learned in Nguniland they conquered all people they attacked.

He defeated the Zulu armies in 1828. In the same year King Shaka was murdered by his half brother. King Soshangana and his followers thereafter, established themselves on the fertile lowlands of the Lower Limpopo River in Bileni without any fear of Zulu attacks.

Soshangana and his group subjugated and incorporated the indigenous Tsonga, Shongonono, Ngomane, Ndau, Hlengwe, Nyai, Rhonga, Manyika, Tonga, Senga and Chopi tribes. Young men were incorporated into the regiments of his army, the women taken as wives and beasts as provisions.

This incorporation of various people groups brought into existence the Gasa empire, which Soshangana named after his grandfather Gasa. This blend of people groups was known as amaShangana, loosely meaning Soshangana’s people.

On the Save River in present day Zimbabwe, Soshangana violently subdued local groups after settling there in 1836. There he met King Zwangendaba again and they fought each other for three to four days until eventually Zwangendaba fled to present day Bulawayo.

After this battle Soshangana settled further to the eastern side on the high lands of central Save. Before long he discovered that he was not the only Nguni leader in the area. Nxaba had established himself at the Buzi River in the eastern highlands as well.

Nxaba and his followers were also attacked and forced to flee. This victory enabled Soshangana to expand his kingdom. He then subjugated the people groups between the Zambezi and Inhambane and subsequently conquered the whole area south to Delagoa Bay.

In 1838, as result of the smallpox epidemic Soshangana lost many of his warriors, and was forced to return to his earlier home, Bileni in the Limpopo valley. He left his son Mzila under control of the entire tributary region north of the Zambezi.

When King Soshangana returned to settle in the Limpopo valley, he brought not only all the Tsonga chiefdoms of the interior under his control, but he had also subjected many of the Tonga in the immediate region of Inhambane.

The Gasa empire grew because of the conquests of large populations of these groups. These people groups became known as amaShangana as distinguished from the ruling Nguni aristocrats. The Nguni inter married with these people groups but failed to impose their language.

The last years of Soshangana’s reign were spent stabilising and enforcing his power by sending his regiments out as far as the Zambezi River on a yearly basis to collect taxes and tribute. Soshangana died in 1858 at his residence near Chaimite.

Soshangana’s remains were taken to eTshaneni Mountain in Zululand where he was buried. Under King Mzila and his successor Ngungunyane, the Gasa empire was embroiled in slave trade.

The Gasa kingdom raided for slaves to sell to the Portuguese and various plantations.

The Gasa kingdom under King Ngungunyane was overthrown by the Portuguese in 1897, being the last African kingdom in Southern Africa to fall under colonial rule.

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Bruce Ndlovu , Sunday Life Reporter

WHEN he gets into the kitchen next weekend at the Chief Dakamela Appreciation Awards, Carl Joshua Ncube plans to give the Nkayi traditional leader and his distinguished guests a taste of Zimbabwe.

So how does one fit an entire country, with its diverse customs, languages and traditions onto one plate? Ncube, a chef, comedian and tourism ambassador rolled into one, believes he has the answer.

Over the last few years, Ncube has found himself gravitating towards his roots, abandoning Western ingredients for local elements as he seeks to titillate Zimbabwean taste buds with his twist on dishes that have been ignored but not forgotten.

In a country where Western cuisine is revered and somewhat exulted, this might be a thankless task for a chef.

However, for Ncube, food is like a thread that is meant to run through all the diverse people of Zimbabwe, uniting them into one.

Next week, he plans to be the weaver directing this thread to do his culinary bidding.

In Nkayi, Ncube plans to filter out all Western influences and dish out Zimbabwe to guests who might have forgotten the dishes that used to dominate menus in yesteryear feasts. Instead of the famed seven colours, a staple of wedding and Christmas parties around the country, Ncube wants to put the flag of Zimbabwe on a plate.

“I will be cooking for the VIPs and that is between 100-150 guests that will be attending,” he said in an interview.

“My menu will be a celebration of Zimbabwean ingredients, not so much traditional dishes. So I will be taking ingredients that one would traditionally see being cooked in a certain way and doing something very different with them. I’m going to be doing a mix of our traditional meals and celebrating the colours of our national flag. So, you will see a lot of beautiful colours. You will see, red, black, white, green and then you will see a lot of browns because we are cooking a lot of meat on the day.”

Ncube said on the day, guests would have to embrace both the past and the present, as he believes that a mixture of the two gives the country an idea of its culinary future.

“So, the approach to the traditional menu is inspired by the fact that over the years, I have done a lot of cookbooks and these books have started to lean towards increasingly the use of traditional ingredients, particularly with sustainability in mind. So, we are not going to be doing the traditional isitshwala but instead, we will be using several traditional grains that you normally don’t find on the VIP’s table. We are looking at millet, sorghum and all these other grains that are going to be processed in a different way.

“We are also going to be a more communal style of eating and running away from the buffet style that people are now used to which I feel is very Eurocentric. I know in the past, we used to eat and share from the same plate and so we are going to be doing the same thing here. We will be putting the dishes on the tables and allowing people to pass them around and share. It’s a merger of old meets new because when it comes to preparing meals, I like to look at the past, the present and then create a culinary experience for the future,” he said.

With 10 beasts set for slaughter, Ncube said while his attention will be mostly on the VIP table, he was looking forward to the collaboration between various villagers who are set to join the festivities.

“I’ve been doing quite a lot of research with regards to traditional food and about how it applies to tourism and how visitors can be welcomed into our villages in such a way that makes food part of the reason why they travel. With Chief Dakamela what has happened is that he has put aside 10 cattle to be slaughtered so there’s a menu that’s being created for pretty much everyone. Several different villages are attending and each village has a designated cow, with each of them cooking their dishes so that’s going to be great. It will be lovely to see the collaborations that take place there,” he said.

Ncube said the feast will also allow him to share his cooking techniques with the rest of the country, as students from various tertiary institutions will be in attendance.

“We want something that speaks to a new Zimbabwe in terms of food. We also want something that speaks to me as a chef and to me as an artiste. We want something distinctive to Chef Carl that other people will begin to study. I know Chief Dakamela has also graciously been working with our local institutions of learning so we also have some students who are coming to learn what my techniques are when it comes to food preparation.

“I focus on what we call the six Ts and that is taste, texture, time, temperature, technique and also theatre. When I say theatre, I am talking about how the food is presented and the emotional reaction or excitement it draws from people when it is put in front of them. So those are the kind of things that we will be looking at when we are doing the food at the Appreciation Awards,” he said.

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Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube

THE prospect of international football brought about by Zimbabwe’s Independence saw Colsen Mabeza dump Wenela and return home.

Mabeza had joined the great trek to work in the mines soon after completing his O-levels at Berejena Secondary School in Chivi District, Masvingo Province in 1975.

As a teenager, Rhodesia did not offer much for a black secondary school graduate like him and the prospect of joining his uncle who worked at the South African mines conquered all his aspirations.

But life would change on 22 December 1979 when he heard that the war back home was ending and the liberation fighters were coming back.

At 22, he had a burning desire to play abroad as a professional. While in South Africa he had learnt about how much Zimbabweans were losing from international football isolation.

The country was suspended in 1970 because of Rhodesia’s policies that deprived the black majority their liberties.

“When I heard about the ceasefire I decided to come back home and I flew to Harare on New Year’s Eve in 1979,” said Mabeza.

A relative spoke to the Dynamos executive and Mabeza got to train with the biggest and most supported club in the country then.

He had in South Africa played in the Mines League where he was among the best players, being the only foreigner making the grade. Some likened him to Kaizer Chiefs’ hero and compatriot Ebson “Sugar” Muguyo who was by then a big hit in South African football because of his goalscoring exploits.

He had many people pushing him to go for a trial with Kaizer Chiefs because he scored for fun in the league where some players had been identified to play for the big league clubs.

“Many felt I was good enough to play for teams like Kaizer Chiefs and pushed for that. But with the prospect of Independence and a chance for international football now available my wish was to come back home, start all over and go abroad through normal channels provided by the gains of being independent.

“Now that I came back but did not achieve my goal, I have a challenge through my Achazia Sports Academy to create a player who will manage to go and play abroad. A well-groomed player who will grasp all football fundamentals at an early age, learn life skills and know what to do with investments from the first contract, do things differently,” said Mabeza.

Mabeza said sadly a number of great players were in the twilight zones of their careers and did not benefit enough for the talent they had.

“We had great players before Independence. It was great that some got a chance to play for the national team at Independence but could have played international football well before,” said Mabeza.

Among some of the players who inspired him were David George, Shaw Handriade, Kuda Muchemeyi, George Shaya, George Chieza, Tymon Mabaleka, Majuta Mpofu and Isaac Mafaro.

He said growing up here in Zimbabwe as a teenager he knew of the international isolation but got enlightened when he went to South Africa and realised how much locals were losing out. “Independence guaranteed that we return to continental competitions for clubs and national teams. Our best players got to play against other nations and got prospects to play anywhere they wanted in the world with proper clearances. I wanted exposure here in my country,” said Mabeza.

It would take up to 1987 for Zimbabwe to have its first European export straight from the local league and was Moses Chunga who moved to Belgium.

The then Highlanders executive scuttled Madinda Ndlovu’s move to Sheffield Wednesday in 1985 otherwise dozens had in the first six years of Independence answered the lure of the pula to Botswana.

However, former Highlanders goalkeeper, Bruce Grobbelaar had moved to Liverpool, but via Vancouver White Caps of Canada and Crew United of England where he won medals including the European Cup in 1984. 

Mabeza played up to April of 1981 when he became the first player from Dynamos to move to Highlanders in independent Zimbabwe. One of his biggest memories at Dynamos was the only match he played alongside the great George Shaya.

“I passed the ball to him, instead of supporting him, I remained standing watching as he dribbled past defenders,” said Mabeza.

He said his welfare at Dynamos was well taken care of and he was alongside Japhet Mparutsa, Oliver Kateya and Edward Katsvere who were paid monthly allowances apart from winning bonuses.  

“The club rented an apartment for me in town. They paid me an allowance alongside Oliver Kateya and Edward Katsvere but the move to Highlanders was out of the desire for better welfare for myself,” said the former Nhenga Primary School attacking midfielder who carried on playing that role to Berejena.

At some stage he said he lived in the same house with the Chidzambwa brothers, Misheck and Sunday.

“It was great staying with the two players who knew the Dynamos culture and expectations. They made my settling down easier. They were professionals, hardworking footballers who encouraged everyone around them to pull up their stockings for the badge,” said Mabeza who was part of the Dynamos side that won the 1980 league championship.

Mabeza seemed to have impressed Highlanders coach, the late former Highlanders, Sables, St Paul’s Musami and Rhodesia stalwart centreback, James Nxumalo. He did not play for long under him though when he moved to a rebuilding Bosso but was happy to get a chance to play alongside one of his childhood heroes Tymon “Whitehorse” Mabaleka. Mabeza’s term of joining Highlanders included a job and a house.

“As part of my transfer, there was a house and a job. They got me a job at the Post and Telecommunications Company (PTC) and a house I still own in the western suburbs. The treasurer who was at the helm was the late Micah Gumpo and Malcom King was the chairman,” said Mabeza.

He found players like Fanuel Ncube, Ernest Sibanda, Lawrence Phiri, Peter Nkomo, Mabaleka and Macdonald Silongwe.

Mabeza left Highlanders in 1983 for Archer Stars under Gibson Homela.

“I was getting sidelined. There was now preference of youngsters that were coming from the Highlanders Reserves who were known as Liverpool,” said Mabeza.

His fortunes following his move to Bulawayo where he now had a job and a house continued to soar.

Mabeza studied at a private college for a certificate in management and marketing and advises players to study.

One day while seeking advice for a life policy for his daughter, he happened to have dropped his certificates and one Slyvester Maguma, a manager at Progressive Insurance saw the papers and immediately gave Mabeza a job as a salesman.  He would later become a manager of the Bulawayo branch.

A Caf B licence holder Mabeza has coached Kango, ZOC and Bulawayo Arsenal but is enjoying his days now with his own “baby” Achazia Sports Academy.

He enjoys the support from the parents of the 50 players at the academy who are giving him advice and wish the kids could put more hours into their grooming.

“I was happy to hear some of the parents saying the kids are playing less football and will not have the 10 000 hours considered reasonable in a player’s grooming. We have increased our training to three days a week and we will add more hours,” said Mabeza.

But he said the big take away from attaining Independence was the opening of the platform for Zimbabwe to play international football, the movement to better paying leagues and the growth of the soccer industry into a major employer.

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Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

This is not just because he is one of the country’s traditional leaders — those men and women who are born to lead by blood. Born Mbusi Bekithemba Dakamela 29 years ago, Chief Dakamela is not an imposing figure merely because of the position that he holds.

Simply put, the Nkayi traditional leader is a very tall man. Highly conspicuous because of his height, Chief Dakamela is a man who is very difficult to miss when he enters a room. During Government or traditional functions, he towers above most guests, exuding an air of authority merely by his physical presence. It is the same aura he carries when he attends social and cultural functions in Bulawayo.

On such occasions, it is not only his height that grabs people’s attention. When he attends events such as the recent Comedy Roast of Sandra Ndebele, many are gobsmacked by the sight of one of the traditional leaders at an event where the mood and tone are carefree and casual.

In the City of Kings, royalty has always been revered. However, despite the respect that it is accorded, the institution of traditional leadership has always been associated with what some might feel is, “old-fashioned” formality.

The people, even those now resident in urban areas, have great affection for their chiefs but sometimes they feel like they are distant beings, cloaked in layers of tradition and custom.

Therefore, events like comedy roasts, with the raucous atmosphere that they bring, are not something one would associate with chiefs. Yet Chief Dakamela was there, towering over a room that was flooded by laughter as comedians told rib-cracking joke after joke.

For Chief Dakamela, who took the reins at only 24 years old, there was nothing amiss about his attendance at that and other events. He was simply where he was meant to be — with the people.

His humility, he believes, is because he grew up “normally”, without the pressure of living up to the expectations of a young chief in the making.

“I lost my father at a very tender age when I was in Grade 2,” he told Sunday Life in an interview.
“I then lost my mother in 2015 and these things made me believe that in as much as we say we love learning from people who mentor us, sometimes we learn more from such occurrences. The world is the best teacher. For me, growing up with others, growing up normally helped me a lot. I did my primary school in Cowdray Park and my secondary or high school in South Africa Joburg and was raised by my mother.”

Chief Dakamela believes this upbringing has brought him closer to the people he leads.

“When you grow up normally, you then understand the needs of the people. You understand what makes people tick and you understand people’s patterns and behaviour. You then understand a human being.  So, the thinking that a chief must be raised and taught a certain way, has been a mistake because we are not in touch with people and how they have behaved and why they behave the way they do. So growing up with people and living with them helps you understand a lot of things.

Even if everything is not perfect, at least you have a better understanding of them. So, for me, that was the best way to learn,” he said.

To some, chiefs who took up their roles at a tender age are a breath of fresh air, bringing fresh ideas to traditional leadership in the country. While he acknowledges this, Chief Dakamela also accepts that his age made some less accepting of his leadership, especially in the beginning.

“They say the greatness of the ocean is that it lies below the rivers. That’s why the river finds itself towards it because it accepts all. It’s not because the ocean positioned itself there. It could have been an accident but then the ocean became great because of that. What I am saying is that because I was young when I got the chieftainship, it made me humble and ready to accept to learn and accept being coached by elders. What this means is that I was at the lowest level, where I was just absorbing teachings from my elders. After you have absorbed all that, you squeeze out all that you have learnt onto others.

“For me, there might be challenges of people who hold me in contempt or say you are too young and you can’t take up that position but it hasn’t been much of a challenge. This is because I always had a vision way before I became a chief. So, for me, it was all about positioning myself and learning what I needed to learn. The skill that I needed was knowing what to take and what not to take from the advice I was receiving from both the elders and my age mates,” he said.

A believer in innovation, Chief Dakamela last year founded Chief Dakamela’s Appreciation Awards, which are set for their second edition in Nkayi on 5 and 6 April. The awards, he said, were meant to inspire others to come up with ground-breaking concepts that benefit the community.

“The awards are something inspired by the good deeds of people who have been doing things unconsciously or consciously to make communities better. A lot of times, we see people who have done great only get recognised during their funerals.

We want all those people that are doing great things to be finally honoured while they are still with us,” he said.

With all roads leading to Nkayi next weekend, the awards are just the latest example of the spirit of innovation that Chief Dakamela believes drives him. It is this same spirit that has seen some of the young artists and personalities flock to him, a traditional leader, something that is rare and almost unheard of.

“It is not up to me to say why they are taking a liking to Chief Dakamela. It is up to them to say why they take a liking towards the leadership qualities and personality of Chief Dakamela. For me, I will just remain humble and not take too much credit for why all these young people are gravitating towards working with me. What I can say is that we strive to inspire and create an environment where creatives, academia and other progressive thinkers can work. If I can be that platform I think that can be the reason why they feel like our vision is aligned.

“The future is in the youth. We can also learn from the old generation but the future is with the youth. What would we be if we did not work with young creatives, academia and everyone who shares the vision to uplift and unite the nation? The vision is that we should develop culturally and creatively. Anyone who aligns with that will always have an ally in me. They say like-minds attract and I think all these young people feel that is the case when it comes to them. It may also be my youthful and artistic nature which draws them to me,” he said.

While some might be tempted to say Chief Dakamela and other traditional leaders are bringing modernity to traditional leadership, he does not believe this is the case. Instead, he believes he and others of like mind are merely bringing traditional values to all things modern.

“As young leaders, I don’t think we are modernising the institution of traditional leadership, I say we are bringing culture to the modern because we should never stray from the path of culture. We might be modern in age but we are in a traditional institution. The culture is our roots as black people, so for us to modernise culture would be wrong. We can only bring culture to what is modern because everyone seems to be in a rush to modernise,” he said.

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Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday Life Reporter 

DAVID Ngwenya, a 37-year-old gospel musician is on a mission to use his music to spread the word of God and inspire people of all ages. 

Ngwenya is the son of the late Emmanuel Nkomo, who was a member of the Zigzag band, known for their African bass music in Kwekwe.

David has written several songs including one titled “The Hero” that carries a powerful message of overcoming difficulties through faith.

“I pray to God to help me and the people out there, to follow the word of God through my music. The message l am trying to send through my music is to say, Lord use me to preach your word. My song ‘Hero’ speaks a lot to every age group, to say no matter what difficulties out there, Lord make me your hero. 

Growing up in his grandfather’s church, The Church of God in Bulawayo, David’s passion for gospel music was nurtured from a young age. He and his twin brother’s performances in the church choir, inspired many.

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As he was reflecting on his personal journey in music, David shared that it has been a difficult road as he faces discouragement as well as financial challenges. 

“It’s painful to pursue something that you love with all your heart, yet some people will be discouraging you in different ways,” he lamented. 

“Finances for recording music and securing studio production have been major challenges for me, but I remain resolute and rely on my faith to overcome these challenges,” he said. 

He draws inspiration from gospel music artistes such as Minister Takesure Zamar Ncube, Minister Michael Mahendere, Janet Manyonga, Matthias Mhere and aspiries to have a significant impact on the world through his music.

David revealed that he did not know his father until he was assisted by a man identified as Mr Chinhema.

“Growing up, me and my twin brother didn’t know our father. We started searching for him until we met this man called Mr Chinhema, although he passed on after fulfilling his duty of helping us to find our father’s roots. He  managed to find out about our father by the name of Emmanuel Nkomo, from Zigzag Band, who sang the song “Gomoramasare”  and “Nyarunde” that was the band group from Kwekwe. The painful part is that we found out about him when he had passed away.”

The legacy of his late father influenced David. 

He learnt the values of hard work and perseverance from his father’s dedication to the band,which inspired him to strive for similar recognition and success in the music industry.

“My father was into African bass music called Chigiyo music, but his music influenced me a lot. I used to listen to those songs since l was young, long back, not knowing that was my father. His hard work and dedication has inspired me to work harder. 

“When it comes to Gospel music, the Church must not influence you to become a gospel musician; it has to come within your spirit as the spirit of God leads and gives you utterance,” he noted.

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Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday Life Reporter 

THE first edition of the Munch and Sip Food and Drink Festival in 2024 is set to a showcase of African cuisine and culture, with organisers promising an extravaganza that pays homage to celebrated dishes from around the continent. 

Munch and Sip is set to be held at the  Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo on 28 April. The festival is running under the theme “Taste of Africa.”

In a statement, the event organisers highlighted that the festival aims to showcase the vast culinary potential of Africa’s unique ingredients and celebrate the rich traditions that define its cuisine. 

“Building on last year’s success with over 4 000 attendees, Munch and Sip 2024 promises an even bigger and better experience for food, culture and community enthusiasts,” read the statement.

Munch and Sip has proudly announced it’s partnership with Castle Lite as the official beverage sponsor. 

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Picture taken from Morethanfood.com

“Together, they will curate exciting beer pairing experiences and craft cocktails that highlight the diversity of African-inspired drinks. This collaboration aims to stimulate economic growth within Bulawayo and solidify the festival as a driving force in the region.”

Beyond celebrating food, Munch and Sip is committed to fostering cultural exchange. 

This year’s festival boasts a diverse line-up of international and local artistes, including renowned musicians Jason le Roux, MoT from Micasa, Dolly Ya Mama, and Zimbabwe’s own Tino Chinyani.

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Tino Chinyani

The festival goes beyond a one-day event, offering an immersive experience for attendees which includes camping, a travel partnership with Better Drive Zimbabwe has enabled us to establish a camping site in Hillside for both local and visiting festival-goers.

It will also have international guests, special invitations have been extended to international business expo attendees.

Munch and Sip extends an invitation to everyone to join the unforgettable food festival celebrating the rich tapestry of African flavours, culture and community. 

“Expect tantalising dishes, captivating performances and a spirit of unity that will leave a lasting impression.”

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Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

ON the night of 7 October in 1988, Zimbabwe played host to the world. 

At a time when the apartheid regime in neighbouring South Africa had its foot firmly on the necks of its majority black population, the Human Rights Now concert at the National Sports Stadium in Harare was held, giving the world a chance to sing with one voice for oppressed people in Mzansi and elsewhere around the globe. 

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National Sports Stadium

The line-up on that particular night rivals any that has been seen in Zimbabwe before or since that occasion.  Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N’Dour, Peter Gabriel and Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi were some of the artistes that headlined the gig that drew 70 000 into the country’s biggest sports arena. Also slated to perform that day among these chart topping stars was a little-known Zimbabwean group by the name of Ilanga. Virtually unknown outside the country’s borders, Ilanga had begun to make a serious name for itself, after the release of the album Visions Foretold and the smash hit single, True Love. 

At that stage, Ilanga’s members were barely out of their teens and this was evident even from their almost amateur setup. For one, the group did not even have a spokesperson, something that was crucial given the weighty issues that the concert was tackling. 

“After Visions Foretold, we recorded True Love and that just exploded,” the group’s keyboard player, Keith Farquharson told Sublime Studios Africa in a recent interview. 

“We started getting booked for some big shows and one of those was the human rights concert in 1988. Mtukudzi played first, then Tracy Chapman, then the rest of them.  But that was quite an exciting time for me but I remember what was a bit strange about it was Don (Gumbo) saying ‘Keith you must be the spokesperson of the band’ and I was 20. I asked why and he said it’s because you can speak good English.” 

The Human Rights Now concert was not without drama. In the run-up to the show, while in India, Springsteen and the other high-profile acts discovered that the promoter had sourced equipment from South Africa. 

The stars revolted, and swearing that they would not touch any instrument from a country that was now the poster-child of segregation and oppression in the world. This was despite the fact that a large chunk of the audience was, in fact, coming from south of the Limpopo. 

So mouth-watering was the line-up that 15 000 visas, of mostly white South Africans, were processed at the Beitbridge Border Post on the run up to the gig. To avert disaster, Amnesty International officials secured a 100-kilowatt sound system from a firm in Lesotho. In such circumstances, Ilanga also wanted to shine its own little ray of light on the situation that was unfolding in South Africa. 

Without any formal spokesperson, the group was unprepared for this. 

“In hindsight, it was a completely stupid idea (to appoint me) because the majority of the issues we wanted to raise were sensitive because the majority of the audience were South Africans. Playing in Zimbabwe instead of South Africa made no difference because a majority of the audience came across the border and saw the show here. 

There were some issues we had with that and at 20, I probably wasn’t the best person to speak on them given my youth and my lack of experience in everything,” he said.   

Perhaps the group’s lack of preparedness in general was the reason why, on that October night in Harare, they squandered the deal of a lifetime. 

As they performed, it was clear that Ilanga was not dwarfed by the giants they rubbed shoulders with backstage. Their music demanded attention and they got it. Among the 70 000 that thronged the NSS was Miles Copeland, then manager of Sting, one of the world’s top selling musicians of all time. 

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The late Cde Chinx

As 70 000 heads swayed and nodded to Ilanga’s music that night, Copeland was convinced. 

Here was a group that was worth taking a gamble on. He would take them from the seedy bars and pubs of Zimbabwe and open the eyes of the world to their undeniable quality. He offered them a record deal. 

Squabbles within the group, however, saw that opportunity go down the drain and left their members wondering about what could have been if they had taken it. 

“What happened at that show is that Sting’s manager was Miles Copeland who was the brother of Stuart Copeland who was in the Police with Sting. After the gig they said ‘Would you guys like to talk about a record deal?’ There were too many disagreements and differences of opinion within the band because of the individuals concerned. We couldn’t agree on it so we missed on that opportunity because we simply couldn’t agree on the way forward. 

“That could have changed things for us. It would have been great to have been signed by a label that got our music outside Zimbabwe which was what we wanted. These are the kind of things that not many people know about that time and that show. It was a great show but for us the benefits could have been so much greater but because of our own naivety we didn’t make the most of it. It’s easy to say in hindsight I guess,” Farquharson said.  

In the world of music, it is very rare that, when a popular group or band breaks up, almost all its members go on to forge successful careers. In most cases, after a fallout, one star soars higher than the others, putting the rest to shame as their career reaches new heights while others falter. 

Ilanga was an exception to that rule. Don Gumbo, Cde Chinx, Andy Brown and Busi Ncube went on to become highly sought after voices in the world of music, while Farquharson became a legendary sound engineer in his own right. 

Ilanga was the dream team that defied the odds, with each of its members providing individual sparks of brilliance that illuminated the music scene in the years that followed their break up. 

Yet, for all their compelling later compositions, there has always been a feeling that Ilanga did not ultimately fulfil its potential. For all their talent, did they flatter to deceive? Sure, they gave Zimbabwe arguably its greatest love ballad in True Love, but did the group live up to the lofty expectations that naturally came with possessing such a star-studded roaster of musicians? 

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Ilanga band

Ilanga never attained the acclaim or fame of the Bhundu Boys and later Oliver Mtukudzi, for example, despite the fact that individually and collectively, they were a formidable force. 

Instead, Ilanga was a dish that was enjoyed by Zimbabweans who, like a child that brags about their mother’s cooking, have the impossible task of convincing the world that they once had the pleasure of being served by world class chefs in their own home. 

Ultimately, the disagreements within Ilanga made it impossible for the group to last. Perhaps such a star-studded crew was never destined to last long, given the big egos that naturally became evident as the group began to shine. What was never in doubt, however, was the diverse array of talent that they all possessed. 

“Don Gumbo was very much influenced by Ray Phiri and Stimela which you can probably hear in the songs because Stimela was exploding in South Africa at the time,” Farquharson recalled. 

“We did quite a lot of shows with them when they came to Zimbabwe. Don loved that style. So, we ended up sounding a little bit similar to them, and he was a great writer as well. His songs were different to Andy’s. Musically, Andy was probably one of the greatest musicians I played with because he was so versatile. He could play everything, sort of like Louis Mhlanga…Andy had a very accessible guitar sound and he was a good songwriter as well. Don was a great bass player. He played left handed which obviously affected his style. He had the ability to write pop melodies and at the same time, mix it with Zimbabwean guitar styles. That was his strength…I was very fortunate to work with two people that could do that,” he said.

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Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter 

PERHAPS one of the few letdowns about Amakhosi Cultural Centre is that, for all its illustrious history, there is no Hall of Fame, or even a mere plaque, that lists some of the most famous names that have graced its stages. 

Once upon a time, Amakhosi was the nerve centre of Bulawayo’s vibrant arts scene, a nursery that nurtured some of the greatest arts talent that the country has ever produced. 

Edwin Hama, Beater Mangethe, Mackay Tickeys, Zenzo Nyathi, Clive Chigubhu, Babongile Sikhonjwa, Memory Kumbota are just some of the very few names that roll off the tongue effortlessly as one recalls the men and women that were nurtured within Amakhosi’s bosom.

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The late Cont Mhlanga

From comedians, radio personalities to thespians and musicians Amakhosi raised them all. 

Given the fact that Amakhosi does not seem to be the reliable conveyor belt of the talent it once was, one can safely say that the centre has perhaps seen better days. 

It certainly does not wield the same kind of influence that it did when the late Cont Mhlanga was in his pomp, plucking unknown talents from the city’s dusty townships and turning them into bona fide stars.     

With that being the case, some might regard it as a shame that there’s nothing like the Hall of Fame to salute the men and women who have come through the centre. 

However, if, in another alternative reality, there was at least a plaque listing the legendary centre’s most illustrious sons and daughters, then newly minted Highlanders Football Club chief executive officer Sihlangu Dlodlo would be one of the first names written on it. 

This is surprising because Dlodlo is a name that one would not necessarily associate with the arts, especially Amakhosi. 

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However, if the words of the centre’s late founder Mhlanga are to be believed, Dlodlo was the cornerstone upon which Amakhosi was built. 

“This is someone who I first met when he was no more than a boy just wearing boxers,” Mhlanga once told Sunday Life. “I have been privileged to witness his growth from that time to now. This was someone I first saw reciting poems at school. With time he became what I like to call my school of knowledge. Sihlangu was that person who you could give knowledge to and he would implement that knowledge like no one else would.” 

When one thinks of Amakhosi, they think of the major productions, the Stitshas, the Friday Night Lives or the Amakorokozas of this world. 

For Mhlanga, however, Amakhosi was not made on stage but in neat offices that served as the engine of an institution that revolutionised the arts in Zimbabwe. It was in these administration offices that Dlodlo made his name and his work there is why Mhlanga regarded him as the centre’s greatest ever product. 

“When you talk of Cont Mhlanga you’re talking about the pioneers of the arts in Bulawayo. You’re talking about the people who came when there was no road and laid a brand new one. People did not understand what an artiste was before we started defining it. So someone like me needed to be working with believers, strong apostles who believed in the vision that we had. That’s the difference between Dlodlo and everyone else. He came when Cont Mhlanga didn’t exist. Some young people haven’t known Zimbabwe and Bulawayo without Amakhosi. Dlodlo bought into the idea in its early days, the karate days,” he said.

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Sihlangu Dlodlo

For Mhlanga, Amakhosi would not have achieved the renown it later got without Dlodlo. 

Indeed, for many, Dlodlo, initially a trained secondary school teacher who later on went to study for business and economic qualifications at university is regarded as the godfather of marketing in the arts. 

He would later become the marketing manager at both Baker’s Inn and Lobels, far from the world of the arts where he initially made his bread and butter.   

“He was very specific about what he wanted. He wanted to get the name of the centre out there. He wanted Amakhosi known by the city and the country. So he broke new ground because he pioneered marketing as a discipline in the arts. Even after he left to do other things he kept on planting the Amakhosi flag everywhere he went. For him, it was not about money but making a city rise. Unlike other artistes, he was not single-focused. Some just stick to acting or singing or dancing through their whole career. He saw that there were many fields in the creative industries and went into most of them,” Mhlanga said.

In an interview with Sunday Life, fellow arts veteran Raisedon Baya said Dlodlo had been an effective arts administrator because of his ability to ably share knowledge. As he crosses over to the world of sport, Baya said that this was a gift he could see him take to a different but somewhat related field.

“I think the first point I would make about him is that he is a people person. Dlodlo loves people, he loves interacting with them and he loves making them happy. He also loves helping people and for me, that is the most interesting characteristic. I think he fits in perfectly where he is going because we are always saying Highlanders is the people’s team and he is one of the best people to engage. 

“From the beginning in the arts, he was always a leader. He was a teacher and a leader and I think it’s one of the things that he is going to take to sport. He relishes the art of teaching and I know that once there he will either take charge of teaching people the culture of the club or how to grow brand Highlanders. Let’s see how he does but I am very confident that he is going to make some big changes,” he said. 

Baya said Dlodlo was the perfect marriage of football and the arts as, despite his initial romance with the latter, he was someone who always heavily fancied the Bulawayo giants and followed them closely. 

“Dlodlo has moved quite a lot in terms of the arts. He reached top levels at Amakhosi, he was the national co-ordinator of a big project as well and he went to the corporate world where he did well. So, we are excited to see a person from the arts taking a big brand to much higher levels. He’s a culture person and he will understand that Highlanders has its own culture and he will try and make sure that the club’s supporters understand what the club’s brand means. Ever since I have known him, he has always been a Highlanders fan and so I think this position is recognition by the Highlanders family that he is an asset that can grow the brand,” he said. 

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Highway to Success: Charles Dube

The difference: At and in are generally used for position; ‘to’ is used for movement or direction. Compare these: He works at the market. He gets to the market by bicycle. My sister lives in Kenya. I go to Kenya to see her whenever I can.

Expressions of purpose: If we mention the purpose of a movement before we mention the destination, we usually use at/in before the place. Compare: Let’s go to Nando’s for tea. Let’s go and have tea at Nando’s. I went to Kenya to see my sister. I went to see my sister in Kenya.

Targets: After some verbs, ‘at’ is used to indicate the target of a perception or non-verbal communication. Common examples are look, smile, wave, frown, point. Why are you looking at her like that? Because she smiled at me. ‘At’, is also used after some verbs referring to attacks or aggressive behaviour. Common examples are shoot, laugh, throw and shout.

It is quite uncomfortable to have somebody shoot at you. “Stop throwing stones at others, you will hurt them, “his mother said. 

He had to shout at them to stop making noise. ‘Throw to’ and ‘shout to’ ,  are used when there is no idea of attack. Please do not throw food to the animals. Could you shout to Peggy and tell  her it is time to leave.

At, on, and in (place): At, is used to talk about a position at a point. It’s very hot at the centre of the earth. 

Turn left at the next street. Sometimes we use ‘at’ with a larger place, if we just think of this as a point: a stage on a journey or a meeting place, for example compare: 

The plane stops for an hour at Heathrow. (a point on a journey). She lives in Bulawayo. (somebody’s home). Let’s meet at the club. (a meeting point).

We very often use ‘at’ before the name of a building, when we are thinking not of the building itself, but of the activity that happens there. 

There is a good film at the cinema in Robert Mugabe Way. Eat at the steak house – best food in town. He did bot phone last night, he was at the theatre. ‘At’, is particularly common with proper names used for buildings or organisations. Compare:

I first met your father at/in Edgars.  I first met your father in a shop. She works at Legal and general insurance.. 

She works in a big insurance company. ‘At’ is used to say where people study: She is at the Zimbabwe School of Mines. ‘At’ is also used before the name of a city to refer to that city’s university. Compare: She is a student at Oxford. He lives in Bindura.

‘At’ is also used before the names of group activities: at a party, at a meeting, at a concert, at a lecture, at the match. 

On: ‘On’ is used to talk about position on a line. (for example a road or a river). His house is on the way from Bulawayo to Gwanda. But ‘in’, is used to talk about the position of things, which actually form part of the line.

There is a wrong spelling in line 2 on page 2. The smart boy is in the sixth row. ‘On’, is used for position on a surface. Hurry up – dinner is on the table. 

That picture would look better on the other wall. There is a big hole on the celling. On, can mean attached to. There are many mangoes on the tree this year. The drawing pin was stuck on his shoe. ‘On’, is also used for positions  by a lake or sea.

In: ‘In’ is used for position inside large area and in three-dimensional space (when something is surrounded on all sides). She grew up in Botswana. He is not in his office. He lived in the desert for two years. You can go for a walk in the park. They spotted an unfamiliar animal in the woods.

Public transport: We use on (and off) to talk about travel using buses, planes and trains, as well as (motor) cycles and horses. He is arriving on the 7.3o train. (not . . . in/with the 7.30 train). She is booked on flight 553. 

There is no room on the bus. But we use( in and out of) to talk about private cars, planes and boats. Jump in and let us get into town. He fell into the river when he was getting out of his canoe.

Addresses: We generally use ‘at’ to talk about addresses. He is still at the same addresses. She lives at 21 Cleary drive. 

We use ‘in’ for the number of the floor. She lives in a flat on the second floor. ‘At’ can be used with a possessive to mean at somebody’s house or shop’. She is at Paddy’s. 

He is always at the hairdresser’s. There is still more to consider along this vein.

For views link with charlesdube14058@gmail.com or sms to 0772113207