Longwe Twala is in hot water after he failed to appear at the Randburg magistrate’s court on Friday. A warrant of arrest has been issued by the police for him to be arrested.

The Randburg magistrate’s court last month had postponed the case against Twala to September 25. This was following a brief appearance.

His new legal representative requested a postponement to consult and familiarise himself with the case prior to a bail application.

Longwe was taken into custody following the filing of a theft complaint by his father, legendary producer Chicco Twala, in September.

Chicco laid charge of R200k studio equipment theft

He claimed that his son ransacked his studio and stole equipment from the family home while he was in the US.
The musician opened a case against two of his sons, Longwe and Sello. They were later released after their first court appearance.

Longwe Twala

Sello was released after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) stated that it did not have enough evidence to link him to the crime. According to Chicco, the studio equipment cost about R200, 000.

‘Longwe struggling with substance abuse’. “I had a meeting with both my sons before I left for the US. And I did this because I knew that Longwe, especially, would go astray,” he said at the time.

“I knew it, he is my son; I love him. But I would rather see him spending time in jail. Whether it’s life or what, rather than see him suffer in the streets or hurting other people.”

Chicco further said his son has been struggling with substance abuse. And he has been trying to get him the help he needs.

“He has been to rehab more than 30 times; I have even lost count.”

Sunday World reached out to Chicco for a comment and he said he did not have much to say about the matter.

“I don’t know much, I just arrived. But I knew that it was going to happen. And I even told the investigating officer that they must not give him bail. All I can say is that they must arrest him and his sister must open a case against him for theft,” said Twala.

Sports Reporter

WARRIORS prospect Shumaira Mheuka has become one of the fast rising stars at English Premier Soccer League side, Chelsea.
Just a week after he was picked for the Next Generation 2024 — 20 best talents at Premier League Clubs, the young forward was included in Chelsea’s 4-1 victory over Panathinikos in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.

The best talents list is compiled by the United Kingdom newspaper, The Guardian and it consists of best young players at each club born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008, an age band known as first-year scholars.

The 16-year-old striker has already been given a chance to play for Chelsea at Under-21 level. Mheuka was born to Zimbabwean parents, making him eligible to play for both England and Zimbabwe.

Shumaira Mheuka

He is the son of Malcolm Mheuka, who played in the local top-flight for Zimbabwe Saints and Circle Cement. Describing his abilities, the forward narrated to The Guardian saying: “My biggest strength is finishing, I love scoring goals.

“I also like the build-up and creating different opportunities, whether that’s for me or my teammates. I love driving on the ball and pushing up the pitch, using my strength and agility.”

Last year, Liverpool’s Trey Nyoni made it into the list, while in 2022 Wolves youngster Leon Chiwome was named among the top prospects.

The other player with Zimbabwean roots that has been named in the list before is Michael Ndiweni (2020). Mheuka has moved quickly through the ranks of the Chelsea Academy since joining the Blues from Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of his Under-14s season.

Shumaira Mheuka-gettyimages

Throughout the 2023/24 campaign, he was given regular appearances for the Under-18s, while still a schoolboy. He scored 12 goals in his 20 appearances for that side across all competitions, including his first Stamford Bridge appearance when he played in the Under-18 Premier League national final against Manchester United.

Mheuka was an important player for England in the summer’s European Under-17 Championship, scoring in their opener against Spain, and marked his first call-up for the Under-19s by finding the net against both France and the Netherlands earlier this month.

After going full-time as a scholar at Chelsea in the summer, the striker has become an important part of our Under-21s squad this season and netted his first goal at that level in the 6-0 win over Fulham in the Premier League 2 at the start of October. Despite featuring regularly for the Under-21s this season, Mheuka only recently turned 17, celebrating his birthday last Sunday.

Primarily a central striker, Mheuka has impressed with his eye for goal and ability to hold-up possession, despite being one of the youngest players on the pitch at Under-21s level.

Shumaira Mheuka -gettyimages-2168920063-

At times he has also been used a little deeper as a second-striker playing off a number nine. Originally from Birmingham, Mheuka started his Academy career at Brighton, before moving to Chelsea in 2022 at the end of his Under-14s season.

Although Mheuka is eligible for our Under-18s as a first-year scholar, and made one appearance for that team against Arsenal in August, he has primarily featured for our Under-21s this season. He has played nine games for Filipe Coelho’s side so far, starting six of them, and scored his first Premier League 2 goal in the 6-0 win over neighbours Fulham.

Mheuka is expected to take the jersey number 76 shirt for Chelsea this season, which he has also worn for our Under-21s in the EFL Trophy win against Bromley’s senior team.

Taboka Tshuma, Sunday Life Reporter

WHILE many young people are focused on enjoying their youth, Nonkanyiso Gumede, a 33-year-old trailblazer has chosen to champion climate action and sustainability, inspiring fellow young women to join the fight against climate change as they are the ones most affected by its effects.

Born and bred in Bulawayo, Gumede manages Greenhut and has witnessed first-hand the devastating impacts of climate change in her community, including droughts, floods and unpredictable weather patterns that threaten food security, health and livelihoods.

Her journey into climate action began at the Forestry Commission in Sikumi (near Hwange) in 2015. There, she observed the harsh realities of climate change as it affected both the environment and local communities.

“People were struggling to access water and agricultural yields were low, making it difficult for families to sustain themselves,” she explained.

It was then that she realised the urgency of addressing the climate crisis.

She expressed her gratitude for having joined Greenhut at its inception, allowing her the platform to advocate for climate action.

Climate change

As the programmes manager, she has spearheaded numerous climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in the region and has participated in local, regional and international initiatives to combat the climate crisis.

She noted that women, particularly in Africa, disproportionately bear the brunt of climate change, as they are primarily responsible for food production, water collection and household management.

Recognising their invaluable knowledge and skills in climate resilience, she stressed the importance of engaging women in the fight against climate change.

“Women should be key contributors in this struggle because, as primary caregivers, they interact with natural resources regularly and understand the challenges first-hand. They are perfectly positioned to help co-create solutions,” Gumede said.

“Women are often the ones who head out to fetch water and firewood and they provide food for their families. In Zimbabwe, they form the backbone of the agricultural workforce and are disproportionately affected by climate change.

For instance, during the current water shortages in Bulawayo, it’s often the women who search for water. We need to create enabling structures that empower women to adapt to climate change and improve their livelihoods, while also recognising them as essential players in this fight.”

Greenhut is an environmental non-profit organisation dedicated to combating climate change through advocacy at schools, community levels and on social media.

The organisation works closely with youth to develop green skills, enhancing their ability to innovate around climate adaptation and mitigation.

Gumede highlighted that Greenhut runs a volunteer program and has established youth volunteer chapters across Zimbabwe, engaging them in various environmental initiatives.

“Young people are the custodians of the planet, so we prioritise them in our programming,” she said.

Despite facing challenges as a young woman in the field of environmental advocacy, Gumede credits mentorship and resilience as key factors that have helped her overcome obstacles.

Fungai Muderere

CHELSEA star Nicolas Jackson is one of many big-name African stars to be snubbed from the final shortlist for African Player of the Year.

The Senegal international netted 17 goals in his first season at Stamford Bridge, earning his role as Chelsea’s first-choice striker under Mauricio Pochettino.

Upon Enzo Maresca’s arrival at the club, Jackson held down the number nine spot for Chelsea, being preferred to Christopher Nkunku at the start of the season.

Jackson has scored five goals in just nine appearances at the start of the campaign, continuing his fine form from last season.
However, the 23-year-old has now been snubbed as the African Player of the Year shortlist has been revealed.

Nicolas Jackson

Jackson is not the only high-profile name to be excluded from the final shortlist, with Mohammed Salah of Liverpool and Egypt also snubbed. Salah is a previous two-time winner of the prize.

The winner of the award will be announced on 16 December, as part of a high-profile ceremony in Marrakesh, Morocco.
West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz and Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface have also missed out.

Amine Gouri, Edmond Tapsoba, Simon Adingra, Chancel Mbemba, Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, Soufiane Rahimi, Ademola Lookman, William Troost-Ekong and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams have all been nominated for the gong.

Jackson will be hoping that he can hold down his place in Chelsea’s starting XI going into 2025 and earn his place among the finalists for next year’s awards.

The forward did not travel to Greece with his team-mates as he has been given a rest by Maresca during Chelsea’s second match in the Conference League. He is expected to return to the starting line-up when Chelsea face Newcastle at Stamford Bridge today.

Sipepisiwe Moyo, moyosipepisiwe@gmail.com

ARTS play a vital role in society, with artists serving as powerful voices. From visual arts to theatre and music, they explore diverse themes and issues. Today, we look into the journey of Mzobanzi Mlauzi, better known as Mzoe7, as he shares his rise from an aspiring artist to established musician.

As a young boy in the streets of Entumbane in Bulawayo, Mzoe7 had a dream and passion for music. He joined the school choir at Ntabeni Primary School and theatre class at Fatima High School.

After completing his secondary education, he pursued a career in music, which saw him becoming a force to reckon with. He joined Tys Records as a backing vocalist, with his best friend Skaiva as a drummer and Blaqs Vusa Hlatshwayo as the producer.

“Being at Tys helped us. We met leaders like Mjoks lo Mzala, Thorne, Tomza, and Otis Ngwabi, and we would also go and watch Jeys Marabini conducting rehearsals. That is when we formed House Rebels, with tribal house and house music being our stronghold. My first work was nominated for the Zima Awards Best Alternative, and it shaped me for the future,” he said.

Proving that art runs in his veins, he started the brand Iskipa sika Gagagugu Wear in 2015, which trended across the whole country and saw both prominent figures and the general public owning more than one item from the brand.

He also introduced red cups and red cup parties, which became a trend. In 2019, Mzoe7’s choreography skills were felt when he and Gomez choreographed the most creative BAA Awards show that left everyone applauding at the ZITF. He also choreographed Sandra Ndebele’s album launch, which featured great superstars like Professor, Platform 1, Mr Brown, Mai Titi, and Vocal X.

Being a versatile creative and energetic performer has put Mzoe7 on bigger stages and led to great collaborations across the country and internationally. He has headlined festivals like Intwasa, Ibumba, and Lumankelele, and has represented Zimbabwe in America at a cultural expo. He highlighted the challenges he has faced in his journey.

“It hasn’t been easy not having anyone to back me up in my career. Sometimes promoters would not pay, and I would be left stranded. Another challenge was not understanding the music business,” he stated.

Mzoe 7

The artist then began to grow, venturing into acting, and his career was taken to the screens in a movie called “400” followed by the series ‘Ezakomatshela’ as 2Boy, a film that enjoyed airplay on ZBC TV.

“I have also found my footing as a TV presenter on national TV ZBC, on a show called ‘Star Maker’ that profiles great people behind all our superstars, and another show called ‘Dance Vault’ that profiles all types of dances in the country. I later landed another presenting job on ZTN Prime on a show called ‘Days at Ekasi’ which promotes local tourism to both locals and international people. I double as a presenter there on NRTV’s ‘Mjolo Ma1’ and as a producer,” he shared.

Mzoe7 has shared the stage with big artists in and outside Zimbabwe, such as Busy Signal, AKA, Oskido, Sandra Ndebele, Wizkid, Casper Nyovest, Winky Dee, and Makhadzi.

In 2012, he started an initiative called Majitaletstalk that helps men tackle mental health issues, drug abuse, and bullying. The programme educates men and serves as a platform for them to open up and avoid suicide. The impact it has made is significant, as he believes a happy man brings forth a happy household and community.

Mzoe7 also does choreography for other groups and conducts dance classes, promoting dance as a way to stay fit.
“I am also into marketing, scriptwriting, and directing, working on many TV adverts as seen with Itel, Klobber Fusion, Old Mutual, and Ster Kinekor Zimbabwe. My goal is to make more brand films and introduce them to our local cooperatives. I am also a brand ambassador for KlobberFusion, Alpha Grill Restaurant, PPC, and Rouxgold Travel,” he said.

Mzoe7 won the BAA Male Artist of the Year in 2022. It is also notable that Ghetto Boozers immortalised Mzoe7 as a living hero through mural painting, thanking him for the positive contributions he has made to communities in the country.

His music videos have also been enjoying a lot of airplay internationally, and his latest release, “Amalanga Awafani,” enjoys airplay on Channel O playlists, also making it to the top five on the SABC Top 20 chart.

The video of the same single has been the video of the week on SA Music for some time now. Mzoe7 has been volunteering to perform for inmates and encouraging them during Prisons Family Week.

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

WHEN it was announced that the country’s oldest surviving arts festival, the Intwasa Festival koBulawayo was postponed due to financial constraints, the arts in the city looked set to endure a bleak spring.

In a drought-stricken year that has left both taps and pockets dry in Bulawayo, arts practitioners hoped that the festival would once again usher in a season of fresh hope. After all Intwasa, (spring), is supposed to signal renewal, heralding brighter days on the horizon with the rainy season approaching.

However, the announcement that Intwasa would miss its spring window as it would be rescheduled for December drained some of the last bit of hope that they might have that this year in the arts could be salvaged.

Last week the organisers of Intwasa announced that the festival had been rescheduled to new dates between 28 and 30 November, restoring the faith of those who have always held the festival as a standard bearer in the city.

“Traditionally, Intwasa Arts Festival has always taken place during the month of September, aligning with the season of Intwasa, hence the name,” the organisers of the festival said in a statement.

“However, due to unforeseen circumstances, this year’s festival has been rescheduled to November 28-30, 2024. We are excited to share that this edition will run under the theme ‘Imagine it, experience it!’”

In an interview with Sunday Life, festival director Raisedon Baya said this year’s festival would see Intwasa trying to reconnect with communities in the city’s townships, as in the past they felt that the festival was not accessible to people it rightfully belonged to.

An act from previous instalment of Intwasa Festival. Credit — Intwasa

“So, we the community engagement we are trying to do things differently. Our main event is always in the CBD and we always get these not everyone can come to town and partake in activities that we organise there.

Not everyone is mobile enough to leave their places of residence and experience the products that we might have packaged for them before going back home.

This year we got support from the Culture Fund to do several activities that reach the community. We have tried this before but, as we sometimes say, resources don’t always permit. We are going to Cowdray Park, Mzilikazi and Nkulumane,” he said.

Baya added that spreading acts far and wide in the city would also give artistes a chance to showcase their skills to a more diverse audience.

“So, the idea is to get a stage into the community so that people in those areas don’t have to hear about Intwasa happening in the CBD. They then become a part and parcel of the festival.

We are spreading the stages and this is going to be for the benefit of the artistes as well because the more stages we have, the more platforms or opportunities for young performers,” he said.

Baya said it was also a chance for the city’s artistes, most of whom hailed from the townships, to show the communities they came from they were worthy of stardom.

“We are taking local acts to where they belong, which is the community. These are audience-building exercises because we believe you can’t want to go perform on bigger stages nationally, internationally when the people in your community don’t know about you.

So, the idea is more about encouraging our young artistes and showing them that charity begins at home. You need to start performing within your localities so that the communities push you towards the bigger stages, whether that’s regionally or internationally. So that’s the reason behind our community engagement activities,” he said.

Baya said the revamped edition of the festival would see them concentrate on new acts instead of the tried and tested.

“We are looking for particularly new acts. We are not looking for old groups because people usually sell a group name and say we are this group or that group. That is not what we are looking for. We are looking for a product.

It might be an old group with a new product and that will be okay. We want people that come to us and say, we have a new dance or a new theatre production. If a comedian has new material or an artiste has new music released, that’s what we want.

Our audiences cannot see the same things year in and year out. That’s why we are making this call. We are doing so in the hope that artistes who have new material might show interest and then we can work on something together,” he said.

Baya said after two decades of Intwasa, they felt that it was time to unearth new voices, as they were wary of feeding their audience of the same acts over and over again.

“We also sent out a call, asking artistes to signal their intention to perform at the festival. Hopefully, we can identify a few new faces that we can put on our stages and maybe make them more accessible to mainstream audiences.

We are also realising that our role is to develop artistes and that particularly applies to the young ones who are still trying to find their feet.

That, I believe, is what makes us different from the other platforms that have gone commercial and gone big. Our mandate is basically to develop and transform artistes that have just popped into the sector,” he said.

Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter

THE year was 1991 when Zimbabwe were the only African representatives at the Rugby World Cup that was co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France.

At that time, the Sables were a force to reckon with, however, it would turn out to be their last participation at the global showpiece having also played in the first-ever edition back in 1987 in New Zealand and Australia.

World Cup participation has been a thing of the past since then. Eight editions have gone by without the Sables taking part.
However, the dream of returning to the big boys’ league in 2027 is alive for the Sables.

Having won the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup in July, Zimbabwe have already begun their preparations for the 2025 tournament which serves as the direct qualifier to the World Cup that will be hosted by Australia.

At the 2025 tournament, the Sables will be competing against Algeria, Namibia, Kenya, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and the winner of the 2024 Men’s Rugby Africa Cup Repêchage, happening later this year in Morocco and Tunisia for the ticket to Australia.

In a bid to bolster their squad for next year’s qualification, Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) have roped in former Australia centre, Kyle Godwin.

Kyle Godwin

It is that dream of playing in the World Cup that convinced Godwin to retrace his roots to his country of birth for the first time in close to 25 years.

“But, I am very happy to be here with Zimbabwe. I have really enjoyed my career and this is a good opportunity because I am really passionate about the goal that they have here for the Sables to go and achieve and play in the World Cup. When I heard that one, I spoke to Piet about potentially joining the group. That was the big motivator for me.

“Zimbabwe produces a lot of great rugby players. We want to see them on the world stage, we want to see Zimbabwe rugby do well, to get them back at the World Cup. They played the ’87 World Cup and the ’91 World Cup.

We want to see them back playing at the World Cup, they have the talent,” Godwin said in an interview with Kyros Sports.

Upon his arrival in the country on Monday evening, Godwin immediately joined the Sables camp that is preparing for a tour to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Korea. The tour is a part of the team’s preparations for next year’s Africa Cup.
Godwin added that he was eligible to play for four nations in his career.

“I was eligible to play for Australia because I’m an Australian citizen. I got my citizenship when I lived there. Zimbabwe, because I was born here, my parents were born here, South Africa, my grandparents were born in South Africa, and I actually had a grandfather born in India. So, I could be eligible to play for India,” he said.

Godwin was an Australian professional rugby union player who made his international debut for the Wallabies against France in 2016.

He plays for French club Lyon OU Rugby in the Top 14 competition and has previously represented the Western Force and Brumbies in Super Rugby, where he made his debut in 2012 against the Queensland Reds in Perth.

Over his career, he has played a total of 76 Super Rugby games. Additionally, Godwin was part of the Australia under-20 team that competed in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.

As the Sables gear up for their November tour, the addition of a player of Godwin’s calibre is sure to energise the squad and enhance their prospects on the international stage. – @brandon_malvin

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

LAST week, Zimbabweans and other people across the globe were united in shock and outrage when images of three dead lions suddenly flooded their social media timelines.

Dead lions are always a cause for concern, but this trio of big cats seemed to have met their demise in a particularly painful way. The lions had been beheaded and their paws were also missing.

In addition, the three big cats were also riddled with bullets, as if they had faced a firing squad in the wild before they breathed their last.

Unsurprisingly, images of the trio of lions elicited outrage far and wide.

If a lion is the king of the jungle, its head, or even its mane, is its crown. Seeing them lifeless, headless, and without their paws as they lay on the forest floor felt like a dagger driven into the hearts of those who care for these fearsome beasts.

Lions are supposed to be invincible, the proverbial kings of the jungle that roam the veld and forests, eating and killing what they fancy. All creatures, big and small are meant to be on the menu, providing an endless buffet for their undying appetite.

Zimparks

They are not supposed to be the prey, mercilessly killed, beheaded and dumped. Following the discovery of the three lions, speculation was inevitable.

While there were many theories, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) made it clear that they suspected that the country was now dealing with a new problem. While all eyes are on the rhino and its protection, Hwange National Park might have witnessed its first instance of lion poaching within a national park.

“The poachers shot them with a heavy-calibre rifle and we suspect the poaching was linked to rituals because of the manner it was done,” said Zimparks spokesman Tinashe Farawo.

The suggestion that the trio of lions were possibly killed for ritualistic purposes, brings to life a dark underworld that relies on the unholy alliance between the dark arts of traditional medicine and poaching.

According to a 2022 report by Africa Geographic, there has been a 75 percent decline in Africa’s predators in the last five decades while the wildcat conservation organisation Panthera recently reported that lion populations have plummeted 43 percent in the last 21 years.

According to the Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global wild African lion population has fallen to 23 000, down from around 200  000 at the beginning of the last century.

Ironically, this decline can be linked to the decreasing number of tigers, another big cat that has become endangered or even extinct in some parts of the world. According to the Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF), tiger teeth, bones, and claws have always been in high demand, as they are used in traditional African and Asian medicines. They’re also used in a variety of luxury products, including bone wine and jewellery.

As tigers become scarcer, however, the poaching of lions becomes more popular with lion teeth, claws and bones now being sold as tiger products. The motivation to kill lions is now greater than ever.

Lions, or certain parts of their bodies, have been used by traditional healers for centuries for various rituals including protecting one from evil spirits, power and healing.

While the unsanctioned killing of lions is relatively rare in Zimbabwe, in other parts of the continent, their uses for medicinal and ritualistic purposes are fairly common.

A report by the Born Free Foundation found that lion fat in particular was fair game for traditional healers, who found various uses for it.

“Interviews with villagers revealed a startling breadth of use: lion fat used to treat back and joint pain; lion skin and lungs used to treat whooping cough; lion veins used to treat erectile dysfunction; lion noses used to treat stomach problems; and lion livers used to treat headaches.

“Lion fat was the most frequently used body part mentioned. An extraordinary 62 percent of respondents described using lion fat in medicine.

The second most prevalent body part mentioned was skin (34 percent). Half of those surveyed described wearing layas (a type of talisman worn around the neck or waist) to ward off the spiritual attack and in some cases offer spiritual empowerment.

Skin was also reported to have healing powers with 20 percent of the respondents describing its use to cure whooping cough by soaking the skin in water and drinking the water,” the report stated.

In Besmeet, a documentary aired on DSTV’s KykNET, a traditional healer in Johannesburg gave an insight into the two big muti-markets in the City of Gold, where one can find anything from a lion nail to a hippopotamus tooth, a hyena skull, and even a whale tooth.

In South Africa’s markets, a lion tooth or nail will set one back about R1  500 while a lion skin can cost anything between R30 000 to R40 000.

Focusing on the lion, the traditional healer explained that lion fat is rubbed around people’s ankles to protect them from evil spirits. The same practice is said to be common in Zimbabwe.

Other parts of the lion that are used for traditional medicine include the teeth, claws, and skin — and all these parts have different “healing powers” and are used for various traditions in varying cultures.

Acknowledging the prevalence of some of these practices in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association (Zinatha) director-general George Kandiero said there were legal means of acquiring some of these animal body parts.

“The fact that sheep fat can easily be bought from Mbare is because that is a domestic animal. However, it is not easy for traditional healers to get fat from other animals like lions, elephants, leopards or even pythons because these species are protected by the Parks and Wildlife Authority. One needs to get a letter from Zinatha to buy that kind of fat.

It is possible to get it especially when Parks and Wildlife do culling of animals. That is when traditional healers get python, lion, or any other animal skins,” he said.

The way that the animals are killed by the poachers is usually gruesome.

While the killing during the week might have appeared gruesome to some, to others who are in tune with the brutal underworld of poaching, the trio might be said to have been granted a merciful death.

One of the most common ways poachers kill lions is by leaving a poisoned buck or donkey in the veld. After eating the poisoned meat the lion suffers for hours, vomiting and walking around in agony.

Some of the poachers, who usually operate in South Africa, ride in on donkeys from Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Using this method, they cannot be tracked by rangers before killing the donkey and then they throw poison over its carcass to attract a lion.

While the death of Cecil the Lion in 2015 brought attention to the problems associated with trophy hunting, the killing of the three lions last week might also draw the nation towards a problem that has been lurking in the shadows for too long.

THIS time, we take a look at the last cosmic body in outer space that we are interested in. A class of cosmic bodies has had catastrophic results on the lives of dinosaurs that once lived on Earth 100-66 million years ago. The cosmic objects in question are the asteroids, which sometimes strike the Earth creating craters that some of which may today be found below sea beds. The interest in asteroids lies in the fact that astrogeologists and other scientists posit that an asteroid that fell on Earth led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Asteroids are of interest to us in that when they hit the surface of our Planet Earth, they may impact negatively on the continued existence of life forms on Earth. Indeed, one of the biggest asteroids to collide with earth led to the extinction of an estimated 70 percent of life forms on Earth.

Asteroids are minor planets of the inner Solar System. They vary significantly in shape and sizes, ranging from one-metre rocks to dwarf planets almost 1 000 kilometres in diameter. In terms of their nature, they consist of rocky metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.

Over millennia, several asteroids have hit the surface of the Earth. However, this is not to say asteroid strikes are limited to hitting the surface of the Earth. They will hit the surfaces of other planets too. Astrogeologists estimate there have been 60 objects that hit Earth in the last 600 million years. Their numbers and sizes is calculated from the resulting craters and their numbers.

Asteroids form an asteroid belt located between the orbits of planets Mars and Jupiter. They can become planets, in which case they will orbit the sun like the other known planets that are part of the Solar System within the Milky Way Galaxy (uMthala). They may also, in line with other planets, have moons that orbit them.

Here is one asteroid, the Chicxulub Event that occurred about 66 million years ago when the 10-15 kilometres wide asteroid hit Earth in present day Mexico. This asteroid is estimated to have led to the extinction of 70 percent of all species on Earth including the famed dinosaurs that walked the surface of the Earth.

The location of the resulting crater proves to be of interest to geologists, astrogeologists and geographers. The crater was located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa. It was discovered 248 miles off the coast of Guinea. The crater is about 8,5 kilometres in diameter. There is some correspondence in terms of location between Mexico in Meso-America and Guinea in West Africa. 

When I saw the two locations indicated on a map, I immediately remembered A-level Geography lessons that I did in the 1970s relating to Continental Drift E, we were taught that a long time ago there existed a single continent mass, Pangea. That was to be followed by the separation and continental drift, creating the disposition of the continents, as we know it today. 

The existence of a single block of continent mass before the separation into several continents is now going to lead to continental collision with some oceans ceasing to exist. The proto-continent was named Pangea and the separated continents may be fitted back into that Mother Continent, jigsaw puzzle way. Indeed. The bulge in West Africa seems to fit well into the enlarged Mexican Bay. 

When an asteroid hit one part of the unified continent, the separated portions today bear the marks of the catastrophic impact. The separated, but once united portions resemble each other in the species of existing life forms, geological history and other characteristics. When now separated, the corresponding parts, which were once united, we surely expect them to have shared elements of natural history. This is the case with regard to Mexico and West Africa.

Separate and distinct components deriving from a common source will inevitably share a lot in common. This has been found to be the case with regard to the absence of heavy metallic elements such as Iron, Magnesium and Lithium in the stars belonging to Population III. These were formed about 100 million years after the Big Bang. Instead, these old stars seem to have contained the lighter elements such as Helium and Hydrogen. This was long before our Earth came into existence. A supernova, the death of a star, led to the creation of a neutron or black hole, which swallows even light.

However, there are scientists who are of the opinion that the dinosaurs were already in decline at the time of the catastrophic collision between Earth and the famed asteroid that struck during the transition between the Cretaceous and Paleogene Eras. Their argument is that at the time of the divide between the two epochs referred to above, the biodiversity of the dinosaurs was rather limited. That was several million years before the divide between the two eras.

Fossil eggs and eggshells unearthed in China suggest that the dinosaurs were already on the wane well before the asteroid impact of 66 million years ago. The study was based on more than 1 000 fossilised eggs and eggshells. The recovered specimens revealed that the dinosaurs were not that diverse before the much-hyped extinction at the close of the Cretaceous Era about 100-66 million years ago.

Back then,there were no technologies, be they spiritual or scientific, to deal with asteroids. In fact, the asteroids were not foreseen like is the case now where their advance is monitored. Nor is human intervention still limited to monitoring the asteroid advances and gazing them in despair. Nasa  has developed a technology to identify an approaching asteroid and take measures to ensure it does not hit the surface of the earth. Apparently, that preventive measure was put into practice in 2022. The NABA, on 26 December 2022, celebrated exceeding expectations during a mission to deflect a distant asteroid in a sci-fi-like test of humanity’s ability to stop an incoming cosmic object from devastating life on earth.

It was like the concretisation of science fiction captured in films such as Armageddon and Deep Impact. The asteroid, which was possibly going to bring doom and calamity, was hurtling towards Earth at the speed of 23 500 kilometres per hour. Given the available technology, the purveyor of doom was not allowed to proceed on its destructive mission. It was attacked and pushed into a smaller and faster orbit.

The powerful Hubble Telescope that peers into outer space was able to capture the image of the asteroid Dimorphos after it had been hit. It was observed to have developed a bright tail. In fact, what had happened was that what had been an asteroid was turned into a man-made or artificial comet with a characteristic tail that looked like Halley’s Comet that appeared in 1910.

With the spectre of use of nuclear weapons in the Russo-Ukrainian war, increased occurrences of tsunamis, solar flares and asteroid attacks, life on Earth is threatened more than at any other time. While technology did save the day by attacking Dimorphos, the chances of things going wrong are higher. In the end, we could face what dinosaurs faced at the close of the Cretaceous Period. We are not sure regarding the nature of Armageddon.

Then there is more heightened talk about the aliens posing yet another threat to our existence on Earth. We may not be the most technologically advanced human species in the universe. It is a humbling thought especially for those who lord it over Africans. Perhaps they will feel the weight of the burdensome yoke when they too are on the receiving end.

Sibling drama on “The Bala Family” has hit a raw nerve with viewers, spotlighting some long-standing rifts within the famous family.

The latest episodes put Phelo Bala at the heart of the action, grappling with both family expectations and accusations about his problematic behaviour.

His siblings, particularly Zwai and Pinky, haven’t held back in addressing Phelo’s alleged drinking issues and his tendency to discuss family affairs with outsiders. With old wounds reopened, the Bala family brand and relationships are on the line.

One of the biggest shocks this season was Phelo’s admission to feeling like an outsider.

Learning that he doesn’t share the same father as the rest of the Bala siblings has left him wrestling with his place in the family, and he’s decided he wants to carve his own path outside of the “Bala” brand.

Zwai, however, took a firm stand against this, telling Phelo he can’t use the family name for any business activities.

A viral clip shared by social media user @brainzbhungane captured Zwai’s decision in action. In a 2019 email, Zwai laid down the rules, explaining:

“Dear Phelo, your business opportunities were and are still highly due to the strength of the brand Bala, which you were afforded access to.

“Again, you’ll agree that this is way more than just a regular surname as it has immense value carried mostly by its reputation.

“A lifelong investment went into this brand. To cut to the chase, I think it is only fair of me to afford you the opportunity to willingly surrender the use of brand Bala for commercial use without taking legal steps.”

Speaking with “Drum” recently, Zwai clarified that this reality show isn’t just about family feuds; it’s an effort to tackle the challenges they’ve been avoiding. For him, getting everything out in the open is a necessary step toward reconciliation.

The show’s popularity has sparked a range of opinions, with some fans labelling Zwai as controlling or even a “bully”.

Zwai responded: “It is not about being the eldest and wanting to tell people what to do or to control them in any way. I am definitely not a bully … I have always been an activist who detests bullies and that is why I have a problem with the most popular religion because it is often the poor who are taken advantage of.”

According to Zwai, the conflict over the Bala name isn’t about sibling rivalry but rather protecting a legacy that took years to build. He revealed that he’s been addressing Phelo’s behaviour for nearly a decade.

“Everyone is busy talking about the 2019 email that I wrote to Phelo, but there is one from 2014 talking about the same issue. Into ka Phelo nokunxila has been going on for years, it’s not new,” he said.

“This is not tough love, it is business. I am simply talking about not using the surname Bala for commercial use. That should not be a problem because he does not even use Bala on his ID. This is not a popularity contest, it’s about our family,” he added.

With the help of therapy sessions and open discussions in each episode, the Bala family aims to bring out the truth as Zwai hopes it will lead to genuine resolution among the siblings. — iol

FORMER Highlanders, Eiffel Flats, Bantu Rovers, Chicken Inn and Warriors centreback has described Joseph Mwansa as the toughest opponent he ever faced on the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League scene.

Mwansa joined Hwange in the 1996 season alongside Jones Chilengi and legendary midfielder Charles Chilufya.
Both players went on to attain legendary status in Zimbabwe and left an indelible mark on the scene with their work rate, ethic and memorable goals.

The Zimbabwe Warriors

Mwansa played for Hwange throughout his near decade long stay before heading to South Africa and later Asia.
Chulifya moved to Bulawayo and played for Railstars and Highlanders where his talent and aura was amplified.
In an interview with Sunday Life on Friday, Dick who at his peak was among the best centrebacks and probably the fastest in the Premiership, was so good that he even attracted a move to the Polish Premiership.

“Mwansa was a difficulty opponent to deal with. His work rate was second to none, the guy would only stop chasing only if the ball went outside. But as long as it was within the pitch, Mwansa would chase non-stop. He had pace, stamina, balance and a big heart for all occasions,” said Dick.

Chicken Inn FC

Dick said after a match against Hwange featuring Mwansa one would have a terrible night as all his body would be aching as Mwansa was also a physical player.
“He was very aggressive,” said Dick.
He praised the Zambian for good sporting behaviour.

“No matter how much one tried to bully him or rough him up on the field, Mwansa would keep quiet and retain his cool demeanour and concentrate on the game,” said Dick.
Dick spoke about the duo of Zenzo Moyo and Thabani Masawi.
“Moyo was hard to deal with. He used his height and pace and was hard to rob of possession while in the box and could shoot and head with devastating effect to the opposition,” said Dick who now works full-time for the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe.
He said what made Moyo’s presence worse on the field for the opposition was his height and partner in crime Thabani Masawi.

“If Moyo was forceful and big, there was another tall figure alongside him complementing Moyo very well with skill and intelligence to make them a match made in heaven. I was with Eiffel Flats when I faced the duo before Moyo left for Cyprus, that was one of the best attacking duos we had on the domestic scene. It is no surprise that Highlanders won the championship as apart from the two, they had a sound team technically,” said Dick.

Zimbabwe Warriors Chan squad

Collin Nyambiya
Dick said the small dynamite from Ziscosteel, Railstars and Shabanie was a nightmare.
“He was small, had pace and trickery. Because of his frame, you could not deal with him without fouling in most instances, he had ball control technique and pace and would make defenders sweat all afternoon,” said Dick.
Dick said two other players from Kwekwe Albert Mbano and Patrick Mandizha who starred for Lancashire Steel, gave him afternoons to remember.

Luke Jukulile Petros was another tough opponent to deal with despite playing it so simple.
The pairing of Asani Juma and Thomas Makwasha was another pairing made in heaven.
“You could not get the ball off the feet of Juma. He was strong, screened the ball well and had his eye on goal all the time, while Makwasha had prodding runs and pace and made sure an defence was carved open for goals by either of them,” said Dick.

Herbert Dick

Dick mentioned former Motor Action lanky forward Musa Mguni as another striker who used his height well and was endowed with pace and eye for the target who would not stop running all afternoon.
Leonard Tsipa

“He did everything, hard running, dribbler and scorer of repute and was a menace, I do not want to lie. You had to be at your best to stop him alongside Limited Chikafa and Brian Badza in Caps United’s attack.”
Towards retirement when he no longer was as fast in central defence, Dick said he found Abbas Amidu while at Black Mambas a tough opponent.

“This was when I was at Chicken Inn. My legs were no longer as fast as they used to be. He troubled me a lot but had he played when I was at my peak he would have had no chance against me,” said the former hard tackler.
He may not have stayed long enough at Highlanders but Sautso Phiri has a special place in Dick’s memory bank.
“If he was facing his own goal, Sautso was hard to deal with. He screened the ball well and was a persistent threat to the opposition defence, he was skillful too,” said Dick.

Dick believes he played at a time when there were some good strikers out there and it was easy to pick stand out centrebacks.
Dumisani Mpofu, Thulani Ncube, Dazzy Kapenya, Asani Matora, Vintu Fulawo, Chamu Musanhu, David Mkandawire, Obert Moyo, Brian Njobvu and Gerald Phiri were some of the toughest defenders of his era.
Dick also played for AmaZulu, How Mine and Monomotapa. His career started in Chegutu. He retired in 2014 at the age of 35.

Lovemore Dube

HIGHLANDERS chairman Kenneth Mhlophe cut a distraught figure as members of the executive and board left the team’s Robert Mugabe Way offices for the funeral of Sihlangu Dlodlo who was club chief executive from April.

Dlodlo’s body was found at his Nketa home on Monday evening after distress calls were made and a decision to break into his house made.

Mhlophe who also came into office this year to replace Johnfat Sibanda, looked miserable and was out of words taking time to calm down before the interview could get underway.

“I am devastated,” said Mhlophe as he gasped for breath and confidence to continue.

He said Highlanders had lost a good administrator who had a number of projects up his sleeves that he wanted implemented.

“I do not know where to start,” said Mhlophe who has previously told this writer that it is about time Highlanders unlocked its brand value and became a prosperous institution.

Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe

Despite being the biggest supported team in Zimbabwe as exhibited by turnstile figures in the last two decades, Highlanders continues to be a begging bowl case, something Mhlophe said should end.

He praised Dlodlo for a good working relationship with leadership and members at the club.

“We worked well with Dlodlo, he was a businesslike leader.

“I am still mourning him, it is like he is still alife. I worked well with him at the club.

“He had a number of projects lined up for the club,” said the Highlanders chairman.

Dlodlo is a former referee, Chicken Inn board member and at one time chaired the Benjamin Youth Football Tournament.

While many associate Dlodlo with education, sales and marketing at Baker’s Inn and Lobels, football and arts, he was an outstanding Matabeleland Volleyball Association player.

He played as a setter for Sparrows Thabani and Wild Geese among the first prominent volleyball clubs from the Western Suburbs.
Francis Moyo who also played for Wild Geese and Sparrows in the mid-1980s a period in which Dlodlo was very active as a player, described him as a setter.

The late Sihlangu Dlodlo (left) with Albert Nyathi

“I knew Dlodlo when I was still in Form Four (1984). By then he used to come for volleyball games at Bulawayo Club of the Disabled and we struck a great friendship. He began his volleyball career with Sparrows Thabani at Tshaka Training Centre.

“By then myself and Togara Machokoto were with Wolves that was later known as Wild Geese. He had a short stint at Sparrows. Because of our great friendship he later came to join us at Wild Geese Volleyball Club,” said Moyo who founded Highlanders Volleyball Club alongside Raerburn Ndebele, Nzuwa Moyo, Chamu Moyo and Spartans Coach Vullindlela Moyo.

He was a left-handed star with a tricky over had serve and brilliant at set pieces (setter).

His volleyball career took a knock when he enrolled at Hillside Teachers’ College.

His participation at Wild Geese was cut short as he enrolled for a teaching course, where I was informed that he participated further in volleyball.

“Now and again he always passed through Tshaka Youth Centre to watch training sessions and also watch Cont Mhlanga over the durawall at Stanley Hall and Square in Makokoba. He became an educationist early in life. Bengihleka loTogara sisithi uDlodlo was a teacher and a parent of every kid. When we walked through the streets eMakokoba, his childhood neighbourhood he could call a kid and say: ‘wena buya lapha, kawuboni ukuthi ungcolile, hamba uyogeza ubusubuya uzodlala (hey you, don’t you see you are dirty, go and bath and return to play).’”

The late Sihlangu Dlodlo

Legend in football Cosmas Zulu said news of Dlodlo’s passing on had come as a shock to him.

Speaking over the phone from Gokwe where he is attending to an ill relative, Zulu said: “To my dear departed friend, only the good die young. I will miss and cherish the laughing chuckle mixed with a naughty voice and I will hear it echoing in my head like every time I saw or heard your name Sihlangu Dlodlo. Please take that laughing chuckle to heaven. I am aggrieved when a man of real talent dies.”

Dlodlo was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery yesterday alongside other city legends like Barry Daka, Tymon Mabaleka and Willard Khumalo are buried.

Faith Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
IN a remarkable display of determination and resolve, 21-year-old Amanda Peresu Moyo has become a beacon of hope for many young women in Zimbabwe after she clinched the Silver Voice of Change title at the Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2024 pageant held in the capital.

Hippodrome, Amanda exemplifies the essence of Zimbabwean excellence and is poised to inspire future generations.

Amanda’s decision to enter the Miss Universe pageant was deeply rooted in her life experiences and values. She viewed this opportunity as a platform to amplify her voice, inspire others and drive meaningful change.

Competing against 18 contestants in May, her commitment to advocacy shines through her diverse pursuits; she is an Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering student at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), a philanthropist, a nature enthusiast, a table tennis player and the founder of the Amanda Green Foundation, which aims to empower young girls and women.

In an exclusive interview with Sunday Life, Amanda shared how receiving the Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2024 Silver Voice of Change award has elevated her platform to address pressing environmental challenges both nationally and globally.

“As we work towards breaking bias, I host and participate in programs focusing on women’s empowerment and gender equality,” she stated.

“Winning this award shows that my voice is being heard, and I’m on the right path to positively transform the world through the Amanda Green Foundation.”

Amanda’s commitment to Stem(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as a woman in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, highlights the importance of empowering women. “Empowering women is empowering a nation,” she declared.

Her passion for nature and wildlife drives her advocacy to preserve the environment, recognising the unique struggles faced by women in agricultural communities impacted by climate change.

“I believe that by empowering each other, women can achieve their goals through mentorship and collaboration, creating a supportive circle of strength,” she added.

Amanda emphasised the necessity of proactive change, urging individuals not to wait for someone else to make a difference. “Change will not come if we remain passive, be the change you want to see—everyone is capable of making an impact,” she noted.

She encouraged young people to balance their passions with their commitments and shared her strategy of scheduling and prioritising, supported by a strong network of friends and mentors.

“My mission is to keep making a difference and to be a voice for the voiceless. I will not stop until the vision of ‘A Green and Empowered Future’ is a reality,” she said.

Amanda’s journey is a testament to the power of determination and purpose, as she continues to inspire a movement toward empowerment and environmental stewardship in Zimbabwe.

WHENEVER you write, you have to dream up words and put them into sentences. All writing requires you to be creative. Creative writing perhaps requires a little more of your imagination than some other types of writing, but the best imaginative writing is based on the possibilities of real life and experience; people and places, situations and stories, descriptions and narratives.

Take note of the distinctions between descriptive and narrative writing. In descriptive writing, you focus on a place or a person. When you write about a place, you naturally write about the people in a description of the scene. When you write about a person, you naturally write about a place or places associated with the person. Focus is the keyword.

In narrative writing, you build an account of events that are linked together. When you write a narrative, you control the selection and order of events. Control is the keyword. What makes a good piece of descriptive writing? The content will engage and interest the reader. A word of caution: Some students try too hard with descriptive writing. Relax and start by writing some clear sentences that set you up.

Students ask if they can use paragraphs in descriptive writing. Of course you can and it is a good thing to do so. There are some natural breaks even within a short piece of writing, so take the opportunity to show that you know how and when to use them. You need detail in a description, and you need a thoughtful vocabulary to make the meaning of the description more precise.

Using well-selected nouns and verbs can help to add detail. Do not feel that you need to add an adjective to every noun and an adverb to every verb in order to make your writing detailed. Also, avoid dropping impossibly long words into the description just to impress.

How not to write a narrative. Narrative is about clear and meaningful communication with the reader. Remember the key word is control, with maturity not far behind. You should avoid creating a piece of genre writing or unoriginal stories of horror, fantasy and war heroics. Writers of this kind of narrative are often re-living a film –badly –and forgetting that a good writer writes for the reader. Bad writers write to a formula –in other words, “let’s be predictable, let’s feed off as many clichés’ as we can! No, let’s not!’ What makes a good piece of narrative writing? The plot and the characters will be well-constructed and sustained. Keep the plot manageable and keep the number of characters down to three or four only. You have plenty of time to think about the opening sentences, Opening sentences can set up expectations for a story but above all, clear sentences set up expectations of quality and control.

Think about the ending before you start. Do not spoil a good story with a hopeless ending. The narrative is purposeful and well-placed. In a narrative of two or three pages, you have to be selective. Narratives that travel along a motorway stopping at every service station never reach the end of the journey. Selected snapshots, well signposted are very important.

Paragraphs will be varied in length, with links and connectives keeping the story progressing. Before you develop the confidence for variation, begin with paragraphs of roughly equal length. Connectives can be associated words, they can be the grammatical words and phrases that signal a change, for example, “One hour later . . . in the next village . . .’ or simply, “However . . .’

Overall, the reader’s interest is held, perhaps by means of interesting devices, words, phrases and sentences. Examples of narrative devices are flashbacks and cliff-hangers, among others; but the best devices of all are well-chosen words and phrases and crisp sentences that are properly punctuated.

First-person and third-person writing: A first-person piece of writing, often a narrative, is written from the perspective of “I” or “we” (grammatical first person). The narrator is therefore firmly in the story. A third-person piece of writing is written from a more detached point of view. The writer is generally outside the immediate action, looking in. It is written from the perspective of he, she or they (grammatical third person).

As with narrative writing, descriptive writing can also be written from a first-person or a third-person perspective, but it is not so easy to keep focus when writing a first-person description. What makes a good, accurate piece of English writing? The sentences are varied and controlled. Short sentences can be used to add impact, Make sure that longer sentences end before they run away loosely.

Accurate punctuation is used to vary pace, clarify meaning and create deliberate effects. Get your full stops or periods right first and remember, commas are not substitutes for full stops. Grammar is used confidently and purposefully. Use standard written English. You do not have to be posh, just proper.

For views link with charlesdube14058@gmail.com <mailto:charlesdube14058@gmail.com> or sms to 0772113207

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

IT is impossible to miss the house George Zulu has called home for the past two decades. 

When one gets to Pelandaba West and drives a short distance south past the shopping centre called Emakharathini, Zulu’s home, which is located downhill, comes into view. 

Standing alone and surrounded by what from a distance just looks like an untamed bush, the house stands out like a sore thumb, looking old and tired in comparison to the rest of the suburb. 

When city fathers initially conceived the idea of the suburb, purchasing Hyde Park Estate in 1947 as part of the city’s strategy of creating a land bank for future urban development, they would have hoped that the houses that would be built on that suburb would be modern and eye-catching. 

In 2002, motivated by the desire to ease the city’s swelling housing backlog, council broke ground on the suburb which is sandwiched by Pelandaba and the expansive Pumula South. 

Back then, it was envisioned that the suburb, initially estimated to be built at a cost of $100m, would hold 1 600 low-cost houses. 

Today, Pelandaba West looks anything but low-cost. Looking at the housing units that have been built there, one could be forgiven for thinking that some of the city’s so-called “leafy suburbs” had been lifted from the eastern half of Bulawayo and transplanted with surgical precision into the middle of Bulawayo’s western suburbs. 

Paved driveways, French doors, and Venetian blinds are all hallmarks of houses in a suburb that seems to perfectly encapsulate the property developments that are taking place in Bulawayo. 

However, amid all this modern splendour, Zulu’s home sticks out like a sore finger. 

The walls of his home, which is built in the style of a farmhouse, have been patched more than once, giving it several shades like a torn garment that has had to be sewn back together several times. 

A rusty metal roof is also similarly worn out, with several holes covered up by plastic and other materials. When Sunday Life visited him at his modest abode, Zulu told the news crew that he felt as if he was living in a different time period from his neighbours. Several of these housing units, the few remnants of the old Hyde Park, still stand in Pelandaba West and partly Pumula South, with most of them lacking basic services like sewer and water reticulation. 

Zulu revealed that he had raised an entire generation of children in darkness in the six-roomed house, as he had never had a supply of electricity. 

“There’s water at this particular house but we haven’t had electricity since we moved in here in 2000. So for over 20 years we have been living in the dark. We have raised our children in the dark and they don’t know how it feels to have electricity in their home for most of the day. Sometimes we don’t miss it anymore because this is how we are used to living.  “We are grateful to at least have water and for cooking, we mostly use firewood we buy from poachers that pass through here on a regular basis. Gas is also an option but it is a bit more expensive so we rarely use it,” he said. 

Jabulani Hadebe, who shares the house with Zulu, said while the rest of the country looked forward to the rainy season, cloudy skies only brought worry to them, as their leaky roofs left them at the mercy of inclement weather. 

“Of course, we would like to see the house renovated. Look, at that? We are patching up the roof with plastic so that it can hold up. This place becomes hell in certain weather conditions. I’m sure a lot of people are looking forward to the rains because they believe that it will lead to a good harvest but for us, it is the opposite because when it rains, that’s when you worry about the kind of place you might be sleeping in,” he said. 

Some of the old houses visited play host to a number of families who, despite the lack of running water, ablution facilities and other amenities, seemingly live in harmony despite the ever-present threat of diseases. 

In one such household, Sunday Life was introduced to a man known as Mastanda (landlord), who revealed that they had not had running water for the past of two years. Bottles of illicit whisky (njengu) littered the yard of the dilapidated empire that Mastanda, real name Vincent Mpofu, resides. 

A choir of flies buzzed over the makeshift Blair toilet that he and his “tenants” constructed, as he revealed that they had learnt to live without water. 

“One of the problems that we face here is that we don’t have both water and electricity. That makes life very hard for us because while these things are in short supply in Bulawayo, it is a permanent situation for us. You live without even the hope that electricity will come back later at night or water will start flowing some days later. What is life without hope? From our resources, we build our own makeshift Blair toilet and a nearby borehole where we get our water for cooking and other things. It is a difficult life but we make do,” he said. 

Mpofu revealed that they faced accusations of theft and other criminal acts from their neighbours who lived in more fashionable houses. 

“The last time we had water was in 2022 and that was the time there was a dispute between the people that were living here at the time. From that time onwards, the water was cut and it has never been reconnected. We would like to get the services other people get of course because you can look around and see how beautiful houses around here are. Due to the dilapidated nature of our home, we stand out and sometimes people will accuse us of things we aren’t aware of. Some might think we harbour thieves or things like that but we are just ordinary people,” he said.

While others might be crying foul at the state of their old houses, Senzeni Nkomo, said she could not imagine herself living in any other place. As ramshackle as her old house might appear, she said it was at least a place that she could confidently call home. 

“We have adjusted to life without electricity. It is not something that bothers us as much anymore. We have water so that has made our condition very tolerable. We are not complaining. Life is good and cannot think of any other place I could call home,” she said.

Innocent Kurira

WARRIORS prospect Isaac Mabaya last week played his first game in six months after featuring in the Liverpool Premier League 2 encounter against Everton Under-21.

Mabaya was introduced from the bench in the 65th minute and delivered a lively display at rightback.
It was the 20-year-old’s first appearance since limping off in the Reds U21’s 3-0 win over Manchester United Under-21 at Old Trafford in April.

Reacting to Mabaya’s return from injury, Liverpool U21s boss Barry Lewtas said, as cited by The Echo:
“It was really good to see Isaac back. Obviously he has been training for a while and it was important to try and get him back and give him some game minutes.

“He has been really working his socks off and was a real threat when he came on, he linked up well with Kieran. It’s great to have him back.”
Prior to his return over the weekend, Mabaya trained with the senior team for the first time under new coach Arne Slot ahead of the team’s clash against Chelsea.

Isaac Mabaya

Mabaya signed his first professional contract with Liverpool FC in September 2021.
He first attended the Academy at the age of six and broke into the Reds’ U18s side as an U16 player in 2020-21.

Mabaya, who can play in midfield or at right-back, featured for the senior team in pre-season during July 2022 when he was included in the squad for the Asia tour and training camp in Austria.
Injury limited his game time and progress in the 2022-23 campaign but he penned fresh terms with the club in the final weeks of that season.

LUST is an intense desire for something. Lust can take any form such as the lust for sexuality or money. As a student, you need to be careful and not be a victim of lust.

Ways to deal with lust
Set yourself boundaries
Avoiding temptations can help you manage your desires. For instance, if you’re tempted to look at porn whenever you’re on your phone or laptop, download an app or browser extension to block tempting websites. Or, if you’re struggling with sexual feelings about a particular person, limit how much time you spend with them if possible.
If you lust over a specific person, avoid checking their social media or status or doing things to get their attention.

Make a list of reasons to resist
Clearly defining your values can strengthen your resolve. When you set a goal for yourself, for example, resisting sexual temptation—it helps to have a clear idea of why you’re doing it. Write down the main reasons why overcoming lust is important to you, and review it any time you feel your resolve is starting to slip. For example, your reasons might include things like:
“I want to wait on having sex until I’m married because sexual intimacy is sacred and special to me.” “Self-discipline is an important part of life. I want to overcome lustful thoughts to improve my relationship with my God.
“I don’t want unwanted sexual urges and behaviours to damage my relationships or cause problems in my life.”

Identify your triggers

Understanding your desires makes it easier to control them. Next time you experience feelings of lust, think about what’s going on. For example, do you get more unwanted sexual thoughts when you’re stressed out or bored? What about when you’re around certain people or in specific places?
Write down a list of things that seem to trigger those unwanted thoughts and feelings, and jot down some ideas about how to deal with those triggers. For instance, if you realise that those lustful thoughts show up more when you’re bored, look for ways to keep your mind busy. Try listening to music while you’re doing boring tasks. You might realise that you’ve been using sexual thoughts or behaviours to cope with stress. Set an intention to find new coping methods and form healthier habits.

Find healthy ways to keep yourself busy
Focus on activities that help you feel good about yourself instead of focusing on the person you’re lusting over.

Pray
Prayer can help you find peace and clarity. God answers prayers, so if you are struggling with issues like lust and temptation, seek the hand of God. With God you won’t go wrong. He is faithful.
Remember, everything starts in the mind. Change the mindset and be delivered.
Dr Manners Msongelwa is an author, teacher and youth coach. He can be contacted on +263 771 019 392

Blessed Moyo and Faith Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporters

IN an area where mud huts dominate the landscape, a striking double-storey house in Jutshume Village, in Bulilima District in the expansive Matabeleland South Province has captured the attention of both locals and passers-by from far and wide, thanks to its distinctive and ambitious design. 

Marking a first for Jutshume, the breath-taking double-storey structure has emerged as a landmark not just within the village but across all of Bulilima and Plumtree, symbolising the new architectural aspirations of Matabeleland South’s sons and daughters who are infusing urban elegance into their traditional homes.

Builder Nduna Manyathi (41), who operates from South Africa, shared with Sunday Life that he constructed the double-storey residence to satisfy his wife’s request for more space, after the initial six-room house he built felt inadequate. The homestead spans approximately 115 square metres.

“I had built a house for my wife; however, she said the rooms were not enough for everyone to stay in the main house, and she needed more rooms, especially for our girls. I decided to extend the house, making it a double-storey because I did not want to build two separate houses,” said Nduna.

This pioneering architectural feat has sparked conversations in the community and on social media, as both neighbours and residents from Bulilima flock to catch a glimpse of this rarity in rural settings. 

“It took me about two months to fully construct the house because I have a construction company, the Nduna Manyathi Construction Company. All the resources and manpower were available at my service, hence I managed to get the house finished in a short period of time,” he said.

Nduna’s goal is to transform the rural building landscape, demonstrating that builders can create stunning homes for themselves, not just for clients. His company provides employment to local youths, equipping them with valuable skills.

“My main goal was to show that builders can have beautiful homes too. Since I have a construction company, I thought I should do great work for ourselves, not just for clients,” he explained.

The impressive double-storey house has become more than just an architectural marvel, it stands as a beacon of pride and progress for the entire township. The breath-taking structure has not only enhanced the aesthetic of the area but has also placed Bulilima firmly on the map, showcasing the community’s potential for growth and development.

Nomonde Nkomo, Nduna’s wife, expressed her happiness with the house, noting that she is now receiving respect from many women in the community.

Mr Bradley Mpofu, a town planner in Plumtree who was interviewed by the Sunday News stated that building a double-storey house in rural areas poses no problem, provided it stands on the required square metres. 

“Building a double-storey in rural areas is not a problem at all. One has to get their house plan drawn and approved by the council, however, one has to consider that all rural land belongs to the Government, hence they must take into account that the land could be required by the lawful owners, even after a long time,” said Mr Mpofu.

Community leader Mr Tapson Mabandla said the house is a beautiful addition to the area, with many locals admiring it as something that enhances the neighbourhood. 

“We are proud of this house; it shows that our area is developing because what we need is progress. We are very happy as a community,” he said.

Neighbours also take pride in the impressive double-storey house, often referring to it when telling others about their origins. 

Nduna encourages fellow builders to have confidence in themselves, take pride in their work and aim for excellence in every project, including their own homes.

Sunday Sermon with Apostle Chisale

Greetings, beloved nation. Habakkuk 2:14 states, “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” The term conspiracy derives from the Latin word “conspire”, which means to breathe together, to collaborate and to be united very closely. The phrase “breathe together” suggests that individuals are communicating in close proximity, indicating secrets, agreements and covenants. 

In essence, conspiring refers to the act of secretly planning or plotting. While this could involve harmful or unlawful activities, it’s important to recognise that not all conspiracies are nefarious. There are also positive conspiracies. God is inviting us into this divine conspiracy, which will bring glory to His kingdom while simultaneously wreaking havoc on the kingdom of darkness.

We understand that conspiring takes various forms: criminal, political, social, and corporate conspiring. However, the conspiring that God is calling us to surpass these categories. It is essential to recognise that conspiring yields consequences — both negative and positive. For us, conspiring with God generates positive outcomes, one of which is glory. We cannot fully define glory, as it exceeds our understanding. When referring to glory, God’s people often envision a cloud, an image that inspires awe and reverence. It’s vital to comprehend that glory comes in dimensions. One dimension includes (i) visibility and (ii) tangibility. Our aim is for the outcomes of our conspiracy with God to be evident in us.

Throughout history, we can observe that individuals who have conspired with God have experienced tremendous consequences in their lives. However, we must also address the negative conspiracies that plague even the household of God. An example can be found in 2 Samuel 15:31-32, where Ahithopel conspires with Absalom to destroy David. Yet David prayed for the counsel to be transformed into foolishness. There are harmful conspiracies occurring within the body of Christ and in churches — people plotting against one another rather than aligning themselves with God. In Luke 23:12, we see Herod and Pilate becoming allies in their conspiracy against Jesus. Previously, enemies could become allies for a common, wicked goal. 

In Genesis 11:1-9, the story of the Tower of Babel illustrates a similar situation, where people unite to construct a tower that glorifies humanity rather than God. Conversely, the Bible also recounts numerous instances of positive conspiracies in which individuals aligned themselves with God for good. In Acts 2, we witness God conspiring with 120 disciples in the upper room, resulting in the birth of the Church. Remember, conspiracy can involve a group working together toward a communal objective. In Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas come together for the sake of Christ. 

God is beckoning the body of Christ to conspire with Him in the secret place. It’s crucial to recognise that the secret place is where God is found. While God is omnipresent, there exists a specific location known as the secret place — a calling for the Church. Matthew 6 tells us that, when Jesus taught on prayer, He instructed, “Go into the secret place and pray, and the God who sees in secret will reward you publicly.” That reward is the visible glory that will manifest in your life for all to see.

Conspiracy is a delicate matter; those engaged in conspiracies often quiet down when an outsider approaches. My prayer is that God will always engage us in discourse, ensuring we are never excluded from His divine conspiracy. When Abraham was with Lot, God could not collaborate with him due to his relationship with Lot. Certain relationships can cause God to withhold His communication and conspiracy. However, once Abraham separated from Lot, God began to conspire with him.

Conspiring, whether negatively or positively, is intrinsically rewarding — that’s why people often conspire over a cup of tea. Imagine if we conspired with Heaven; such an act could unleash sweetness in our souls. In Song of Solomon 3:1-4, we see a woman representing the Church who, while in her bedroom, illustrates the secret place where intimacy occurs between a husband and wife. We must remember that we are wed to Christ. When the woman sought her beloved and found Him not, it reflects the anguish of prayer closets and altars that feel devoid of God’s presence. 

In her pursuit, she takes action: “I will rise now,” she declares, “And go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” Her discomfort in solitude propels her to seek Him vigorously. We too must rise and seek Him when we find ourselves in the absence of His presence. The lack of glory in our cities, churches, and marriages stems from our unwillingness to pursue Him.

This woman displayed persistence in her quest for her husband. Even when she could not initially find Him, she continued her search. God sometimes veils Himself, so be prepared to seek Him diligently until you discover Him. Upon joining the watchmen, she eventually finds Him. Once found, she clings to Him, illustrating the importance of not letting go. Let our conspiring with Him be relentless — may we remain firmly in that place.

As I conclude my message, my plea is for us to cultivate a habit of conspiring with Him and to abandon negative conspiracies that yield only vain glory. May God rise up a generation of intimate believers — much like Apostle Paul and Apostle Peter, individuals like Hannah. Galatians 1:24 states, “And they glorified God in me.” Paul was a man of profound intimacy. When we foster intimacy with God, people will begin to glorify Him through us.

Let us pray for a spirit of positive conspiracy to rest upon us so that God’s glory may be unleashed. It’s time for the world to witness the glory of God manifesting in nations, through those who know how to dwell in the secret with Him. Glory is visible for everyone to see but is birthed in the intimacy of the secret place. Two concepts come to mind: (i) Phototropic, which signifies upward movement and visibility — something all can observe. (ii) Gravitropic, which refers to the downward growth of roots. Our roots must delve deep with God; this foundational relationship prevents us from withering away. 

A tree that only grows upward without sufficient root systems will ultimately falter, much like many believers’ lives, whose spiritual roots are shallow. The underground growth influences what is seen above. We often attend only to the visible glorification of God, neglecting the preparation happening in the unseen. The phototropic glory is unveiled through the gravitropic support beneath.

I encourage you to conspire with God in the secret place of prayer, so His glory may be revealed through our lives. I invite anyone who has yet to accept Jesus to accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour by believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that He is your Lord and Saviour, and you shall be saved. May God bless you all.

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Faith Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

A 21-year-old literary enthusiast, expressionist and author based in Bulawayo — Bradley Nsukuzokuduma Moyo has been selected for an award for his outstanding literary achievements at the coming Second Annual Book Awards.

The awards ceremony which will be held in Gweru in the first week of December will celebrate exceptional literary work under the theme “Literary Odyssey, Celebrating Ink-spiration.”

Moyo first received career nominations this year at the third edition of the Poetry Red Carpet Awards held in Harare, where he was recognised for his book titled Thalitha Koumi: The Prayers We Never Say.

“Talitha Koumi is an Aramaic phrase which means daughter or little girl arise; it is inspired by the biblical story of Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus,” Moyo explained.

Thalitha Koumi

He elaborated on the inspiration behind penning the book, “The Prayers We Never Say is inspired by a series of conversations that I have heard over the past four years. The Bible also urges us to come boldly unto the throne of grace, and with that in mind, we should have open intimate conversations with our maker — a heavenly encounter.”

He said the title of his book represents a breakthrough from societal norms.

“Talitha Koumi: The Prayers We Never Say is more about breaking through the limitations of societal expectations, religious restrictions and literary rules in order to break through barriers so as to achieve whatever one desires. As you read through the book, you will realise it is more about ‘Why not’ and ‘How’,” Moyo added.
Moyo believes in the transformative power of words, striving to create a platform for expression where every story is valuable.

“So I try as much as possible to tell my story and address issues that are close to my heart such as spirituality, mental health, cultural identity, social ills and reflections on life experiences. I believe in group therapy and collectivism,” he added.

He hopes that readers will find his book as a critical first step in dealing with personal challenges.

“From my book, I hope readers find themselves first because that is the first step in dealing with anything — self-consciousness — and also find their voice. At the end of the day, I believe readers are at liberty to pick whatever resonates with them,” said Moyo.