Highway to success with Charles Dube

TYPES of texts you may be asked to write in class or in your examinations. Examples: leaflets, reports, speeches, reviews, articles and formal letters. In this case, we will start with articles, reports, speeches and so on.

Articles — an article is a piece of writing included in a newspaper or magazine. It is not the headline news, but a discussion of a topical issue, often from a particular point of view.

Articles

Features of an article consist of a lively opening providing an idea, example or anecdote to interest the reader; a clearly-argued position on the topic being discussed, a clear variation in sentence lengths, showing impact, subtlety and clarity, a consideration of the opposing views, integration of supporting evidence and examples and a conclusion or ending that attempts to take the argument forward.

If you missed the discussion on these before make sure you are not left out now. Reports are written in an informal style. They may be written by an individual but they often represent the viewpoints of a number of people. Reports are usually directed at an official leader of an organisation, for instance the chairperson of a governing body.

Features of reports: report heading, for example, (Report on the trip to a place of interest by a class), the recipient of the report (for example, head of department), the sender of the report (for example, (from a representative of the class), an introduction, impersonal style (for example, avoid the use of “I”- The class has decided . . .), conclusion or recommendations (suggestions for future action).

Speeches – a speech can be formal or informal depending upon the audience. However, even an informal speech such as a contribution to a phone-in should be Standard English. Here are some guidelines for speeches: in most cases, a speech should begin without a fuss. Write in full sentences because you are arguing a case. Notes are not enough — use paragraphs to create a sense of order and usually, you will argue from a personal point of view.

The last time I talked about reading I emphasised that for you to improve your writing skills you need to read constantly. I repeat, you can improve your writing by reading. This will help you to get used to different types of writing and to increase your vocabulary. Try to read everyday texts such as newspapers, magazines, websites and advertisements.

One way of making your writing personal and imaginative is to choose your vocabulary carefully. This can help the reader to understand you and what you feel. Words can build up a balanced picture of an experience. Use a thesaurus to improve your writing. A thesaurus lists synonyms (different words with similar meanings) and gives you the opportunity to try new words.

Imagine!

Let your imagination go to work! Here are some tasks which will help you to practise your personal and imaginative writing skills. These ideas will help remind you of what you need to think about. You ask questions like: What type of text are you writing? What is the main purpose? Who is the target reader? What are the main points? How can you vary sentence structure and length? How can you make the opening grab the reader’s attention? Will the paragraphs work in a sensible order? How can you make your vocabulary interesting? How can you make your personality come through? What are features of prose fiction? Provide detailed setting to help build atmosphere. It has characters to interest the reader.

The story has a set-back or crisis, descriptive passages, includes dialogue and has a satisfying end. When you write wherever possible you should aim to entertain your audience and show a range of writing skills. Assessment of your work will focus on how well you can grab and hold the reader’s attention, use a variety of sentences, use paragraphs to divide up your work, use interesting vocabulary with correct spellings and correct use of punctuation.

What makes a good opening? The most important part of any story is the opening. When you read story openings you should think about how the reader is drawn into the story and how language is used to interest the reader and think about what type or genre each story belongs to. As you write your story you develop settings. To develop a good story you need more than just action.

Imagine!

If you describe the setting, you take your reader into the heart of the story, help create atmosphere and build up tension. Use the following checklist to help you describe a setting: think about what effect you want to have on your reader. Imagine what the setting looks like in your mind before you describe it and describe sounds, smells, textures as well as sights.

To create believable characters you need to have a closer idea of them in your head. Imagine how they: look, behave, think and respond to other characters.

For views link with charlesdube14058@gmail.com or smsto0772113207

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

AFTER a career spanning 71 books in his 72 years of living, author, historian and cultural guru Pathisa Nyathi has acknowledged that the sun may soon set on his illustrious career, with his next books set to touch on cultural practices in the broader African community, instead of just Zimbabwe whose cultural practices his writings have extensively explored.

Last week, as he celebrated his 72nd birthday, the celebrated cultural activist published three books that further explored African cultural practices. Nyathi published Journey to The Stars, a book that explores African astronomy, African Body Art, and Mhande, the sixth edition of a series of books about Zimbabwean cultural dances.

In an interview with Sunday Life, the author described the three books as a precursor to more work that will take him towards the end of his storied career.

“My target had always been, which I failed to achieve, was to get the total of my books to reach my age. I turned 72 last week so I wanted to get to that but I am short by one book. Which means next year, I would have achieved that target. The journey continues,” he said.

While he still has more ink in his barrel, Nyathi said that he would be expanding his horizons, with a laser focus on African culture marking the beginning of the end of his journey as an author.

“This is the time when I am moving out of Zimbabwe to get to the African continent, trying to understand our Africanness and what it is that we have in common. That’s where I am operating now in Zimbabwe and exploring a lot within its borders. As the sun sets, we want to be broader and look at Africa as a whole because my argument is that Africa is unco-ordinated. We don’t know, for example, the Zambians’ history and culture and how it links with us. There’s a danger in the various ethnic groups thinking we are very different, which is not true.

“If you look at Africa though, our perceptions, our beliefs, our cosmology, you will see that there is a lot in common. But where there is a political strategy of wanting and manipulate Africans, they will tell you we are very different. We have fallen into that trap of thinking we are very different, which we are not.

The late Phathisa Nyathi

When you are looking at body art and why body art, you see a lot of commonalities. The drive is that, we see each other as one people but people who are diverse. We should look beyond cultural practices while underestimating what informs them, which is African thought, African philosophy and African world view.

We are talking things like cosmology, which are things that shape us, guide us and underpin cultural practices,” he said.

Nyathi said the detour on the long journey he had travelled thus far, was the exploration of much maligned “African science”, which had over the years been denigrated from pillar to post with little understanding of it.

After his flirtation with ancient African philosophy, Nyathi said it would be time for him to cap his pen and call it a day.

“This is now the beginning of the end of a very long journey, in a way. It has been a long journey but we are still going. What will cap it all, in my view will be what I term ancient African philosophy. That will be the icing on the cake. When you see me get to that it will mean I am about to hang the pen. By that, I am talking about the science from which witches and traditional doctors alike like to tap into. It’s the same thing, the same science.

That is a science, there is no doubt about it and I am not talking about the negative stereotypes that people have attached to these things because of the little understanding that they have. That is what I am going to write about and when you see me getting to that, you should know that a man has worked and it is time for him to take an interest in other things,” he said.

Nyathi described his recently published book, Journey to the Stars, as his attempt to reconcile with African astronomy at a time when modern man had “tamed” the heavens, with electric lights, weather forecasts and other modern inventions now doing the job that was done by the stars and other heavenly bodies.

“It’s a Pan-African book because astronomy was very important and Africans followed astronomy very keenly but of course, with colonisation and modernisation, there has been a decline in our knowledge of astronomy. It was important in the sense that it was what determined the seasons, movement of the stars, the movement of heavenly bodies. It was important because it indicated the start of the agricultural season, the start of certain rituals and ceremony and even the process of going to Njelele itself.

It was all that knowledge that was important but this has declined because we have brought the heavens down, through these city lights all around us. It means we are no longer paying attention to what is happening, the movement of the stars, the moon, when it dies, for example. Now we are trying to capture that and it is not only in the context of Zimbabwean ethnic groups but how this all applies to the rest of the continent,” he said.

In African Body Art, Nyathi said he wanted to explore practices whose brightness had almost been extinguished by colonial forces.

“We are looking at body art, things like lip plugs, earrings and trying to see if they survived slavery. We want to look at the Ndebele and how beadwork was scandalised, as it was associated with things pagan.

In comparison, in South Africa beadwork is still fashionable but even now, we see the young people trying to reclaim it. We see the youth in festivals, like Mzilikazi Day or lobola ceremonies, we are seeing a marked improvement,” he said

Youth Focus with Manners Msongelwa

BULLYING is when people repeatedly and intentionally use words or actions against someone or a group of people to cause distress and risk to their well-being. These actions are usually done by people who have more influence or power over someone else, or who want to make someone else feel less powerful or helpless.

Being bullied makes young people incredibly insecure. When you’re being bullied, you can feel constantly insecure and this affects your concentration at school. Bullying has a big mental and emotional impact, you feel unaccepted, isolated, angry, and withdrawn.

Some examples of bullying include verbal bullying e.g. name calling, making fun of, making jokes at another’s expense, unwelcome teasing and spreading secrets someone disclosed in confidence.

Physical bullying e.g. pushing, shoving, pinching, hitting, spitting, etc.

Cyberbullying is another example of bullying. This occurs over digital devices like cellphones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. 

Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else, causing embarrassment or humiliation. 

How to deal with bullying 

Tell a parent or guardian about the bullying

If you are being bullied, it’s very important to tell an adult first and your teachers. Tell your parents the entire story. Parents and Teachers are here to help and want to know what is going on with you. 

Your parents, moreover, may then be able to get in touch with staff at the school in order to try to stop the bullying. 

This is important particularly if you don’t feel comfortable telling your teacher or fear retribution from the bully. 

It’s useful if you keep a diary of everything that happens. That way you can let your parents and other adults know about specific incidents.

Report bullying and victimisation incidents to the school

Inform teachers, and or the school head. These individuals have the power to intervene and help stop bullying. Sometimes bullies stop as soon as a teacher finds out because they’re afraid they’ll get in trouble. Teachers are especially important resources if you’re being bullied. They can provide protection from bullying. 

It’s important to let your school know about any bullying incidents because there may be other kids being bullied by the same person.

Talk openly about bullying 

Just talking to someone about your experience can bring you a bit of relief. Good people to talk to include a guardian, parent, sibling, or friend. 

They may offer some helpful solutions. Talking about what you’re experiencing and feeling can help you feel less alone.

Don’t be afraid to speak up

Telling an adult is not a crime. Bullying is not a small or trivial matter; it is wrong and it helps if everyone who gets bullied or witnesses someone else being bullied speaks up.

Remember that you cannot tackle bullying by yourself. No one can, not even adults. Getting help is the right thing to do when dealing with abuse, bullying, harassment, or assault.

Dr Manners Msongelwa is an author, teacher and youth coach. He can be contacted on 0771019392 

As we continue to honour the life and works of the late renowned historian, Pathisa Nyathi, (pictured above) we reproduce an article that was done by Mzala Tom on August 19, 2020.

Ubaba uPathisa Nyathi is a former teacher, a poet, playwright, author and publisher. He is the founder of Amagugu International Heritage Centre, a cultural village of international significance.

ubaba uNyathi may be the longest serving columnist in print media. He has been penning the Cultural Heritage column in the Sunday News since 1995. His articles also appear in various newspapers and publications.

In 2018 ubaba received a National Arts Merit Lifetime Achievement Award, his third award after earning two others from the same institution, the first one being in 1994.

“I’m driven by that insatiable desire that beyond the grave, let my name live somehow through books or cultural things that I have established . . . Even if I die now, the books that I’ve written will speak, so I’m destined to speak forever.”

The late Pathisa Nyathi

Ubaba uNyathi has written biographies, historical, cultural and political books. For a broad based cross-cultural history of all of   Zimbabwe’s diverse ethnic groups I highly recommend his award-winning books.

Ubaba has written over 50 books covering historical and cultural topics, myriads of articles documenting socio-spiritual, cross cultural and historical events and prominent national figures.

Nyathi’s writings also cover southern African peoples, their migrations and interrelations.

Nyathi’s works also cover prominent religious personalities and the Christian history of Zimbabwe.

Nyathi is a fundi in African cultural ceremonies and teaches broad and comprehensive aspects of African spirituality.

Nyathi is flexible as he also pens some of his books in isiNdebele.

ν To learn more about Nyathi’s works, visit Amagugu Heritage Centre

Taboka Tshuma, Sunday Life Reporter

WHILE some might think environmental conservation issues are the domain of older members of society, this is not the case for Nozinhle Gumede, a 22-year-old young lady from Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, who is already making waves in the field.

Impressively, Gumede’s environmental journey began at 19 when she volunteered for Earth Uprising, an NGO that grew her interest in conservation issues.

After attending UN climate conferences in Egypt and Dubai, where she met fellow youth leaders, it sparked her passion to start Mainah Organisation, which focuses on climate-related issues.

Cop 27, Egypt

“I was inspired by Earth Uprising’s founder, who was significantly younger than me. Her leadership and dedication motivated me to lead in environmental conservation,” Gumede said.

At Mainah Organisation, Gumede promotes sustainability through education and hands-on training, enabling small farmers in Matabeleland to adapt to climate change through techniques such as crop rotation, water-efficient irrigation and soil preservation to improve food security and reduce environmental strain.

“Our goal is to empower local communities to take charge of their environmental destiny through education and training, creating a sustainable future for all,” Gumede said.

She stressed the importance of individuals, organisations and governments working together to address environmental challenges.

“Individuals can make sustainable lifestyle choices, advocate for policies and participate in community initiatives. Organisations can implement projects, raise awareness and invest in green innovations. Governments can enact regulations, set global targets and facilitate large-scale sustainable development,” she said.

Mainah Organisation has seen significant success, helping rural farmers adopt climate-smart agricultural practices and forming environmental clubs in schools to promote sustainability among youth, the organisation has also worked on renewable energy initiatives aimed at expanding access to solar power in Southern Africa, starting in Zimbabwe.

Through these projects, Mainah Organisation fosters climate resilience and supports sustainable development, driving positive environmental change at the grassroots level.

Like any other young lady trying to stand out in the crowd the Miss Universe Zimbabwe finalist said focusing on her goals and seeking mentorship has become her strength.

Her advice to the youth and girls who are into environmental conservation is to start small and seek to learn more about the issues through engagement with mentors.

“Start small, stay informed and connect with like-minded individuals. Begin by making sustainable choices in your daily life such as reducing waste, conserving energy or supporting local and eco-friendly products. Seek out opportunities to volunteer with environmental organisations, where you can gain hands-on experience and learn about the specific issues affecting your community,” she said

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

WHEN he steps to the decks on Sunday, Bulawayo-born and bred music producer Nitefreak, real Bheki Mabhena, will do so as a superstar.

Four years after the first edition of Hindé, the Afro-house music event he founded to elevate Zimbabwean dance music, Nitefreak returns as perhaps one of the most sought-after musicians in the country.

It has been a rollercoaster year for Nitefreak, who has gone from a Spotify chart-topping artiste to a touring juggernaut.
Simply put, Nitefreak is living the Zimbabwean artiste’s dream. Paris, Girona, Barcelona, Ibiza, Los Angeles, New York, Denver, Copenhagen, and Miami are just a handful of the exotic destinations that have been blessed to hear the sounds of one of Africa’s great emerging afro house producers.

Legends like Black Coffee, Diplo, and Shimza regularly give nods to a self-taught DJ and producer who has reached heights many in his native country cannot even dare dream of.

While some artistes might claim popularity at home because people recognise them on the streets, Nitefreak has numbers to back his status as a superstar. His streaming figures alone put some of Zimbabwe’s so-called superstar artistes to shame, catapulting him to a level of success that very few home-grown Zimbabwean artistes have ever reached.

“Nite Who?” many asked last year when it was revealed that he was arguably Zimbabwe’s most successful active artiste. The hundreds that are likely to attend his signature event in Bulawayo today will likely have a ready answer for whoever might ask that question this afternoon.

Yet, for all his success, the return of Nitefreak to Zimbabwe this afternoon will bring a bittersweet feeling. For years, house fanatics touted the producer as a gem whose glimmer the rest of Bulawayo and Zimbabwe seemed worryingly comfortable ignoring. In a city where dance culture is entrenched, Nitefreak managed to cultivate an audience of die-hard listeners who wholeheartedly believed that his music was at par with what superstars around the world were releasing.

The popularity of the initial editions of Hindé was a ringing endorsement of a then-rising star and yet, most of Bulawayo and the rest of Zimbabwe just did not seem to believe that he was worth all the excitement.

It was only after he started making the headlines internationally that the country started to take proper notice of this freak of sound.

“It’s a global world, so you have to make sure that you’re always seen,” said local showbiz commentator Dalubuhle Sibanda of Umahlekisa Entertainment. “Always make sure you get better at what you do so that when the time comes and opportunity meets preparedness, things get explosive. This is exactly what has happened to him. He got his opportunity and he took his shot and I hope Sunday will be a great success for him. It is quite sad, however, that people do not appreciate you while you’re still in Zimbabwe. You have to blow up internationally before people show you that love. Bulawayo has a lot of talent and I hope that one day we will find a way of getting them out there.”

While Nitefreak is now being welcomed with open arms in both the capital and Bulawayo, it reinforces the idea that local stars need to be polished elsewhere before they can shine enough for their countrymen to notice them. This is an age-old song that has been sung by the likes of Lovemore Majaivana, seasoned artistes who retreated into exile while still yearning for local appreciation.

While the argument can be made that Bulawayo’s showbiz economy is not strong enough to support stars such as Nitefreak, the popularity of local afro house events suggests that Bulawayo and Harare can give a respectable measure of success to some of their own if they wish.

Many will no doubt wonder how many Nitefreaks Bulawayo carries in its creative womb. How many are just waiting to be born into a brave new world in which their talent is appreciated even by their next-door neighbours? What did Nite Freak get right in his ascent to fame?

“One thing that we always seem to forget is that the world is bigger than Zimbabwe and in a globalised village you need to put yourself out there and that’s one thing that he did very well,” said Sibanda of Nitefreak’s rise.

“He worked hard on his craft but we also need to remember that he is also exceptionally talented. Without mentioning everything else we have to remember that he is a very good producer. However, he did put himself out there and things worked out for him.

“Sometimes it all comes down to timing and luck but before that, you still need to put in the work. You need to dedicate hours to your craft. You have to grind. As said, you need to get good, get in, and get paid. You just need to be producing good content and make sure that you’re seen. From Nitefreak’s blueprint, we learn that you always have to put yourself and your work out there.”

In an article in Forbes Magazine last year, Nitefreak spoke of how Africans approached America’s Black History Month, using prominent figures as an example of how people of colour can reach for the stars.

“I think most of the accomplishments that you guys have had in the Americas . . . it’s kind of different because we still face some of the things that you guys are celebrating here on a daily basis. So, to us, I feel like we really do celebrate individuals who have really shown a light, whether it may be music, acting or whatever Black people excel in, especially Africans. For example, the likes of Black Coffee. To us, that’s what we would call Black excellence,” he said.

Black coffee

After a year of whirlwind touring, Nitefreak now stands as a shining example of the kind of excellence that he spoke of.
For Bulawayo, and Zimbabwe at large, his success also offers an opportunity for necessary introspection.

Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube

WILSON Dube a living cycling legend who at 83 is probably the only survivor of his generation in the sport.

He was on Thursday honoured by his own people when YAFM of Zvishavane and organisers of the Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke decided to make him the event’s Ambassador.

Like many great athletes of yesteryear, he was forgotten the day age suggested he could no longer compete among the elite in the country. What was left of him were bruised ego in him and memories in those that followed his great cycling career which saw him dominate both track and road cycling events.

Dube’s feat did not end in the competitions he took part in but was there to create a new generation of heroes in the 1990s, though sadly a chapter would seemingly close in a career that gave him so much fame in the country but was unlucky to have international doors shut on him.

Dube missed out on representing his country because management at Shabanie Mine was just content with competitions within the country’s borders.

A near tears Dube walked up to receive a rare present soon after being appointed Brand Ambassador for the Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke.

“I would like to thank Hwengwere and his group for organising this,” said Dube as he received a full solar kit to light up his home at his Mandamambwe home in Chivi District.

Exide Batteries among a host of sponsors and partners of the event sponsored Dube’s donation much to the delight of other sponsors, cyclists and Zimplats managers in attendance at the launch of the 2024 Tour de Great Dyke at Selous.

In an interview later in the evening in Kwekwe where cyclists stayed overnight before the second leg which took them to Shurugwi for an overnight stay at Unki, Dube said all his years’ toil at the apex of cycling in the country were not paying.

He said they cycled for pride and the badges of the companies that employed them. He said the present from Exide past his great days was an appreciated gesture. He encouraged many to come forward and help former athletes and improve their lives as in their days sport was purely amateur and recreation.

“Mwanangu I cant believe this, I am so grateful for what these people have done for me. My home will be lit and I appreciate the gesture. If I had received money or big prizes like this during my days, my life after retirement would have been sweeter. We cycled for blankets, shirts and T-shirts,” said the father of six.

He said with blankets and shirts, the Chamber of Mines Championships in which he excelled in the 21 and 42-lap events were his favourites and he had dominated the scene for a while.

He said passion had seen cyclists of his era investing in expensive bikes despite companies and mines providing such.

“If you wanted to be a better cyclist, you had to have your own bike to allow you to put extra hours. Companies would only release bikes at their own time that did not allow extra work,” said Dube.

Born near Beira to a father who worked in Zimbabwe on 29 September 1942, Dube came to this country at an early age to live with his paternal uncle who worked at Shabanie.

He arrived here and got a job as a gardener and would later take himself to night school.

His first sport was boxing. With no good boxer good enough to beat him, after eight fights Dube got bored and opted for cycling in 1965.

Cycling got him a job as an assistant at the milling plant and was promoted to the blasting department and would later work as a shaft supervisor.

“I met a lot of ministers after Independence who used to come to Shabanie during Mugabe’s time. It is only President Mugabe who I did not see,” said Dube with an air of self-importance of having met political leaders that many see on television or read about.

With a full-time job and peace of mind, cycling became the best winner as Dube started slow with bashings in 1966 from teammates at Shabanie Mine Cycling Club.

“When I arrived at Shabanie, I wanted to work hard and be a champion but they had seasoned guys who were beating me at practice until I improved. Jubheki Nyoni, Chris Simbini, Timothy and Titos were the top guys and trained on their own. I started doing better than them and was put in the team for that year’s Chamber of Mines Track, Cycling and Tug-of-War Championships. I made my debut on 16-17 June 1966 and went on to become multi-champion in cycling.

“Now with my own bicycle, I was able to train more after hours. There is no secret to success, hard work. Even this event Hwengwere has worked so hard for it to happen,” said Dube.

He believes the bicycle he bought in Kwekwe 1966 propelled him to great heights and he kept it for years.

When he got onto the scene, Dube says the best cyclists were Reggie Mbizha from Hwange, Mhangura’s Samson Moyo who would later switch to Rio Tinto and the Kadoma club’s John Musa, Chasi and Leonard Mudenda of Mhangura.

He said in later years Julius Moyo and Patrick Ford of Shurugwi and Wankie Colliery’s Martin Chipembere became cyclists of repute too.

“For many years I was national champion but what hurt me most was that Shabanie Mine never wanted its cyclists and athletes to compete outside the country. I would have won in Botswana, South Africa, Malawi and Zambia. I was a good cyclist and I have dozens of medals won on home soil,” said Dube.

Dube loved the tracks at Callies, now Bulawayo Chiefs Village, and the Peak Mine one.

“I enjoyed my races there and won most of my titles there,” said Dube.

At his peak Dube competed with cyclists from Zambia, South Africa and Portugal and beat them to the finishing post.

Dube who took part in the 2023 Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke event did not participate in this year’s as he fell off the bike and was hurt.

His sons Timothy, Noah and Tinos were great cyclists for Shabanie.

Dube is proud of the cyclists he groomed and among them is Tony dos Santos who came from Mozambique and worked under him until he became a Commonwealth and Olympic cyclist.

He said at 82 he can still cycle and believes fitness derived from a regular cycle has kept him alive this far.

The Tour de Great Dyke promotes wellness which organisers believe is key to improved productivity.

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

ON a chilly July mid-morning sometime last year, Pathisa Nyathi walked into the Sunday News newsroom.
Under his arm, he cradled three books, all of which continued his lifelong journey to explore and document African cultural practices.

As he celebrated his 72nd birthday, Nyathi had published Journey to The Stars, a book that explores African astronomy, African Body Art, and Mhande, the sixth edition of a series of books about Zimbabwean cultural dances.

While he loved this new set of triplets in his family of 71 books, on that particular day Nyathi used them as a springboard to announce a book that would be his “retirement gift” to the world.

Phathisa Nyathi

“My target had always been, which I failed to achieve, was to get the total of my books to reach my age. I turned 72 last week so I wanted to get to that but I am short by one book. Which means next year, I would have achieved that target. The journey continues,” he said.

Despite such a long and illustrious career, Nyathi felt that all his life, he had been working on this one book that would crown all his work.

Throughout his career, he had always been fascinated by witchcraft, or what he called African science, which he felt needed to be explored and put down on paper.

“I feel like now I have accumulated enough experience for it and I have a better understanding of this science. I have done my research and now it is time for me to look at this African spirituality. This book will be the accumulation of all my life’s work. All this time I have been building towards this,” he said.

Phathisa Nyathi

For some, Nyathi’s decision to delve into witchcraft so late in his career might have sounded disturbing. After all, this is a subject that is usually spoken of in hushed tones and those that practice the dark arts are usually shunned. Nyathi instead, was not repulsed by the idea of exploring witchcraft or talking to people who practised it. In typical fashion, he was highly intrigued by the subject.

“This is now the beginning of the end of a very long journey, in a way. It has been a long journey but we are still going. What will cap it all, in my view will be what I term ancient African philosophy. That will be the icing on the cake. When you see me get to that it will mean I am about to hang the pen. By that, I am talking about the science from which witches and traditional doctors alike like to tap into. It’s the same thing, the same science.

“That is a science, there is no doubt about it and I am not talking about the negative stereotypes that people have attached to these things because of the little understanding that they have. That is what I am going to write about and when you see me getting to that, you should know that a man has worked and it is time for him to take an interest in other things,” he said.

For Nyathi, this exploration of African science was the final frontier for a very good reason. Why, the supernatural in the West is portrayed in almost a romantic manner, in Africa it is demonised and derided. In post-colonial Africa, traditional healers, witches and witchdoctors all fall under the same umbrella of undesirables whose craft is evil and unwelcome. As a trained science teacher, he was for the last time trying to look at this maligned aspect of African culture with a scientific eye.

“A traditional healer is umthakathi. A motor mechanic is umthakathi. This is somebody who possesses unique mechanical skills. He is a cut above the rest. Yes, you have many motor mechanics, but this particular one is unique, ngumthakathi in our language. Umthakathi doesn’t mean anything negative, instead, it is very positive. The word that they ought to be using is umkhunkuli because they use the dark city of things. Those are people who travel at night. The kind of science that they practice happens at night,” he said.

Phathisa Nyathi

For Nyathi, questioning the uncanny of abilities of witches, wizards and traditional healers came from a desire to not highlight the potency of African science, but a wish to harness it for the collective good.

“So what is of interest to me is the question why? I’m not concerned about the what and when. I have a science background because I was once a secondary school science teacher so I understand certain principles. I know that some objects will not leave the ground without energy. So, if there are people who fly, surely they’re making use of energy. We need transport but we also know that fossil fuels are finite. So we need to be learning from this ancient African science about how they’re making of use of energy to fly from Binga to get here, to fly from Gutu to get to Gokwe,” he said.

It is unclear how far Nyathi had gone in bringing his vision to life before his death.
In his interview with Sunday Life, he emphasised the fact that good health had thus far allowed him to write so many books that touched on African culture.

“I am grateful for good health thus far in life because you cannot write if you’re not healthy,” he said.

Earlier this year, the veteran columnist started sharing articles that highlighted his latest and last obsession. A few months later, he was hospitalised, as the good health he had always treasured started failing him. It is as yet unclear if he had yet finished what he believed was the culmination of all his life’s work. Up until he breathed out his life, he still had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, particularly knowledge with an African flavour.

“The tendency is to think that we are cleverer and I have said this is because of this linear perception of progression of knowledge. We think we are at the peak but I doubt that very much. There are people who know something that we don’t know, something we don’t understand. These are people who tapped into a certain energy that we are not able to tap into. These are people who were strongly linked to this science and also linking with the heavens, the stars.”

Vincent Gono, News Editor

THE paper was small and old, almost turning brown and the ink on it was getting faint, almost sinking into the paper whose corners could not be defined. It had a 1980 date.

This was in September 2019 and that month, the news discourse was shaped by the death and burial of the late former late President Cde Mugabe.

Pathisa walked up to me in the Sunday News newsroom a few days after the burial of Cde Mugabe and like always, he would shout my name as he stepped in to check if I am around and to announce to everyone the person who he was looking for.

When he got to the corner where I sat then, he sank into the chair that I had prepared for visitors of his nature. His wizened face was beaming and the creases on his forehead became more pronounced. He pulled out the small paper and leaned on my desk.

In his small but unique laugh, he said, “I have always told you that spirituality exists in the African context. What you call prophets today because of colonisation are ancestral spirits foretelling events.”

The late former President Mugabe

I had stopped all I was doing to attend to him. He had not brought his column in a memory stick like he used to do. He was holding that small paper that he evidently had been keeping like treasure.

“This is a dream that I captured in 1980. Please note that I am not the one who was given the dream. An old man in Kezi came to me after independence when the National Heroes Acre was being constructed and said he was told in a dream that the person leading the construction of the National Shrine was not going to be buried there.

“Now I have been watching and following the events of the passing on of former President Mugabe and the controversy around his burial with a keen interest. Each time I hear the news on the developments with regards his burial, I think of the old man (may his soul rest in peace) and his dream that I documented and kept.

“I was particularly getting doubtful of the dream when I heard about the erection of the mausoleum at the Heroes Acre, then all of a sudden, I heard he had been taken to Zvimba and buried there. I somehow got relieved and realised the power of African spirituality in foretelling even events of national nature,” he said with a voice that exuded how convinced he was with the power of dreams. It was a moment that he had always been waiting to witness and there it was, unfolding in his face and during his lifetime. To him it was gratifying.

For more than half an hour he sat with me and we talked about dreams, about contemporary church with him arguing that there was nothing called an angel but those were a person’s ancestors who would take various forms in order to communicate with their kith and kin on various issues. I would agree with him because he was superior with facts and knowledge and at times because I wanted to end the debate so that I concentrate on work.

His arguments were beneficial and objective and so were his beliefs – they were solid. After all he was a trained Science teacher who was obsessed with research and evidence to prove himself.

My interaction with Pathisa dates back almost two decades ago when I joined Sunday News as an intern. He is one person who saw me grow through the ropes, but I will not burden the reader by narrating how and when it all happened. His trust in me grew with more engagement when I took over from Delta Ndou as Sunday News Magazine editor before it was rebranded to the Sunday Life we now have.

Pathisa would bring me his Cultural Heritage article on a memory stick. He would walk into the newsroom and sometimes we would spend time talking. He loved explaining his discoveries and was a good listener too. Our relationship grew.

He was a perfect writer, the kind who an editor can pass the story to the pages without worrying about negative grammatical feedback.

I would call him to get clarity when I failed to understand what he meant in some of his articles. He loved it, it showed him that I was reading his work. Admittedly, I didn’t see value in some of his research especially the series on Journey to Stonehenge. I doubt a lot of people understood it. I later asked him and he explained that it was a precursor to Journey to Great Zimbabwe and that he wanted analogies to be drawn by those who followed his articles with detailed discipline.

Our relationship grew when I was shifted to the features desk. There I would ask him to contribute articles on Dr Joshua Nkomo and would use him as a source of Ndebele history when writing such articles that required research and a walk back into history. He penned a number of articles on Dr Joshua Nkomo even a book, he was an encyclopaedia in explaining historical features in Bulawayo and was valuable in tracing family histories.

The late VP Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo

It was during that time that he approached me with the idea of putting Sunday News articles under Lest we Forget into a book. I discussed the idea with my then-Editor Limukani Ncube and Assistant Editor Mkhululi Sibanda and we gave him the green light to do so.

In less than a month he brought copies of the book Lest We Forget that had our question and answer sessions with various veterans of the struggle who are still surviving. He acknowledged us in the book. Whether he made money through the book or not we didn’t bother to make a follow-up.

I invited Pathisa when I was going to interview Cde Angeline Masuku, the former Resident Minister of Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces. He produced a book in no time after the interview which he asked me to edit.

Then one day as he stepped into the newsroom he shouted from the door as his norm was. “Gono, Gono” to which everyone in the newsroom raised their heads and he belted “I had a dream about you last night.” Everyone in the newsroom trained their ears to hear more as he walked to my work desk in the newsroom.

I deliberately ignored him, for if I had responded he was going to shout the dream to the intended ears. So I wore a business face and he quickly realised his mistake.

That day it was a proper business one. He gave me his memory stick and I copied his article, gave him back his device and waved each other goodbye.

I had dampened his dream excitement and the curiosity of those in the newsroom who wanted to hear what this spiritual man would say about me.

Cde Angeline Masuku

But wait. As he moved out of the newsroom, I was calculating the time and probably counting his steps. I phoned him just when I thought he was out of the building but within the vicinity. I told him to wait for me and he did. I approached him and asked him to tell me about his dream.

He apologised, for having shouted it out but said, “Well it is a very good dream anywhere.”

With every step our relationship grew better. And in March this year, he invited me to his Gwabalanda home. I drove there and found him alone. We talked about everything including personal stuff. We were no longer strangers to each other. We shared a plate of cooked green mealies and amakhomame which he graciously offered.

He expressed his interest in research and writing and confided to me that he was pursuing a target where the number of his publications were supposed to equal his age. He was 72 then and had 71 publications.

His desire was to hang the pen and respond to a long ignored, delayed and denied ancestral calling. He talked about in detail and made me relate with some of the aspects he had covered in his column that was probably the longest surviving newspaper column in Zimbabwe.

After a long time of conversing. He led me to the back of his house and told me to remove my shoes. I obliged and we entered what he had prepared to be his surgery after retirement from writing.

“I am writing my last series and it touches on a very important but often misunderstood issue – the issue of witchcraft as an African science. I am unpacking it. And I will be dealing with it practically in this room. Being a science person, I have been resisting the calling but now I have yielded to it,” he said while we sat facing each other bare-footed on wooden stools in the backroom of his house.

He later invited me to the Holiday Inn where he was booked awaiting to embark on a journey to Chipata in Zambia for a very important trip that was sanctioned by President Mnangagwa.

President Mnangagwa

He expressed excitement over the first citizen’s interest in history and its reconstruction. We talked about anything to everything.

To me, Pathisa Nyathi was not a father, he was a friend, a true cultural advocate and a very spiritual somebody whose life was characterized by his deep commitment to the expression of African spirituality and his dedication to fostering a greater understanding of African cultures.

He was not only a gifted writer but also a cultural historian, poet, and educator whose work delved deeply into the realms of traditional beliefs, practices, and the sacred narratives of the African experience. His spirituality was interwoven with his literary output, enriching his writing with a sense of the divine and the sacred aspects of life that resonated with many.

Pathisa was not only a writer but also a passionate advocate for African spirituality. He believed that understanding and embracing one’s cultural identity was integral to personal and communal well-being. Through his workshops, lectures, and community engagements, he educated countless individuals on the significance of spiritual practices derived from African traditions.

He emphasized the power of ritual, song, and storytelling as vital means of preserving cultural heritage and nurturing the spirit.

Taboka Tshuma, Sunday Life Reporter

FASHION designer, Mthobi Sibanda, founder and creative director of Indwangu Designs, is making waves in the industry with his unique blend of cultural heritage and innovative design.

Growing up in Bulawayo, surrounded by a vibrant community, rich in culture and creativity, Sibanda’s passion for fashion design was ignited at a young age as he would make his own designs inspired by his surroundings.

After graduating from Bulawayo Polytechnic College with a diploma in Fashion Design, Sibanda honed his skills through internships at Tapfumanei Couture and Otiz Seflo.

Sibanda acknowledged the impact of AI on his design process, streamlining trend analysis and fabric selection. However, he emphasised that his creative instincts remain paramount.

“AI inspires me, but my artistic vision is still the driving force behind my designs, fashion design just allows me to express my creativity and connect with my community,” he said.

He described his new collection “Colourful Echoes” as a heartfelt tribute to his late grandmother, whose vibrant spirit and bold fashion choices continue to inspire him as she is known for her fashion unique style.

“She effortlessly blended striking colours and playful accessories, particularly her matching pulling socks. This collection aims to encapsulate her essence, celebrating individuality and confidence in every piece. Targeted at women who aspire to stand out, whether at work or during brunches, this collection reflects a modern take on timeless elegance,” he said.

His collection invites women to embrace their individuality and express themselves through bold, vibrant fashion. Each piece is crafted to empower wearers, encouraging women to step out confidently, echoing the joy and vibrancy that his grandmother embodied.

“I drew inspiration from our country’s rich heritage and natural beauty. I am aiming to craft timeless pieces that tell stories, I strive to balance creativity with commercial viability, understanding market trends while staying true to my artistic vision,” he said.

Sibanda explained how sustainability plays a vital role in his design philosophy, he prioritises eco-friendly practices, sourcing materials from local suppliers and utilising natural dyes whenever possible.

“Quality craftsmanship encourages clients to invest in timeless pieces rather than fast fashion, this new collection made me win a local designers competition together with other four designers, to stock our products at Edgars retail stores nationally. It is a ready-to-wear collection yet a luxurious collection,” he said.

The young talented designer has managed to be named Best Emerging Designer Nomination: February 2022 at the Style Icon Zimbabwe Awards (Siza).

He also dressed Miss Zimbabwe Finalist, in September 2022, contributing to high-profile events in the country, Collection Showcase “The Hidden Intentions” debuted at MTC Windhoek Fashion Week in November 2022, selling out and receiving critical acclaim.

He was also a winner at the First Lady’s National Fabric Dress Competition in December 2023 and Showcased at the SADC Industrialisation Week Fashion Dinner and Gala: July 2024.

Sibanda said Indwangu Designs embodies cultural pride, creativity and sustainability, inspiring a new generation of designers. Sibanda’s dedication to fashion excellence is a testament to the vibrant talent emerging from Zimbabwe’s fashion scene.

GREETINGS beloved nation. Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” The Bible further reveals in Isaiah 40:28, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”

Ladies and gentlemen, our God does not faint according to the scriptures. While other creations, including animals and humanity, experience weariness, there are aspects of life that can tire us.

Some believers have even wavered in their commitment to the things of God. The scriptures pose the question, “have you not heard or have you not known”—indicating that some do not recognize that God does not tire or grow weary.

When challenges arise in their lives, families, or nations, some may believe that God has failed or is unable to handle difficult situations.

Yet the scriptures affirm that God does not experience fatigue as we do.

The Bible continues in verse 29, stating, “He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.” In our world, various circumstances can lead to weariness.

Thus, we must seek strength. May God increase your strength!

God encourages us to renew our strength. If you find yourself anchored in past glories, it’s time to transition to a new existence of glory. Verse 31 informs us that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

We begin with walking, then running, and ultimately soaring with wings like eagles. We must embody the strength of an eagle.

Through my study of the eagle, one distinguishing feature is its exceptional vision. They can spot prey from miles away. An eagle symbolizes a prophetic eye and we must learn to operate within the prophetic grace.

You should be able to discern insights regarding your life, church and business. As believers, we need to embody the grace of the eagle.

Moreover, we must be attuned to prophetic whispers and directions from the heavenly realms. I pray that you obtain a prophetic eye, enabling you to exercise dominion in your decisions regarding business, family, relationships, ministry and career, which should all be informed by the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

The grace of the prophetic is accessible to anyone who seeks it. It is distinct from the role of a prophet. We must be attuned to interpreting the signs around us.

One remarkable lesson I learned about the eagle is that, at the age of 40, it faces a crucial decision – to die or to endure a painful rebirth process that can extend its life.

Thus, an eagle often finds itself at a crossroads and must go through a waiting period filled with decisions.

This journey leads the eagle to a secure nest high on a cliff, where it begins the arduous task of renewing its beak, talons and feathers over several months.

The eagle’s beak and talons are sharp, enabling it to consume fresh prey through hunting. As it ages, these tools dull, making it difficult to hunt and feed.

Consequently, the eagle must endure the painful process of shedding its outdated beak and talons, allowing new ones to emerge. This involves striking its beak against a rock and its talons as well.

During this phase, the eagle cannot eat or catch prey and survives solely on water. In a spiritual context, many of us have become dull and struggle to perceive things in the spirit. It is essential that our prophetic insight be sharpened and our spiritual lives remain vibrant.

We should evaluate whether we are still sharp in our commitment to the Lord. If not, we must undergo the renewal process akin to that of the eagle. Some of us need to renew our words.

We must practice discipline regarding our speech because our words have the power to build or destroy. Let us, as believers, speak life.

Now, I fully grasp the meaning of Isaiah 40:31, which emphasises the renewal of our strength. It signifies a process, albeit a painful one.

At this juncture, the eagle is vulnerable; it can be attacked, it cannot eat and it survives solely on water, which represents the Word of God.

When we decide to pursue renewal, we enter a phase of fasting, striking ourselves against the Rock, Jesus, as certain burdens are lifted from our lives.

This period of separation allows God to distance us from distracting noises. Once the eagle’s beak regrows, it begins the arduous process of shedding its old feathers to fly once more with renewed strength. Interestingly, after this renewal, an eagle can live another 40 years.

God is calling us into a space of renewal.

The Bible also tells us in Ezekiel 1:10, “As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.”

The lion’s face symbolizes a fighting spirit, dominion, power, and authority. The eagle’s face signifies a prophetic eye. The ox’s face represents servanthood, emphasising our role as servants.

The face of man embodies compassion and concern for others. These are the dimensions we, as believers, are expected to embody. Isaiah 40:31 speaks of mounting up with wings as eagles.

When observing an eagle, it becomes apparent that they seldom flap their wings. Instead, they spread them and soar through the sky, even amidst fierce storms.

As believers, we are called to rise above life’s storms, mirroring the eagle’s ability to renew its strength.

I invite you to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour by believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that He is your Lord and Saviour, and you shall be saved.

May God bless you all.

For feedback please contact: dominionlifechurch01@gmail.com or Whatsapp number: 0772494647

The boos from a crowd wanting more action were growing again when Jake Paul dropped his gloves before the final bell and bowed toward 58-year-old Mike Tyson.

Paying homage to one of the biggest names in boxing history didn’t do much for the fans that filled the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys on Friday night.

Paul won an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyson as the hits didn’t match the hype in a fight between the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former heavyweight champion, in his first sanctioned pro bout in almost 20 years.

All the hate from the pre-fight build-up was gone, replaced by boos from bewildered fans hoping for more from a fight that drew plenty of questions about its legitimacy long beforehand.

The fight wasn’t close on the judge’s cards, with one giving Paul an 80-72 edge and the other two calling it 79-73.

“Let’s give it up for Mike,” Paul said in the ring, not getting much response from a crowd that started filing out before the decision was announced.

“He’s the greatest to ever do it. I look up to him. I’m inspired by him.”

Tyson came after Paul immediately after the opening bell and landed a couple of quick punches, but didn’t try much else the rest of the way.

Even fewer rounds than the normal 10 or 12 and two-minute rounds instead of three, along with heavier gloves designed to lessen the power of punches, couldn’t do much to generate action.

Paul was more aggressive after the quick burst from Tyson in the opening seconds, but the punching wasn’t very efficient. There were quite a few wild swings and misses.

“I was trying to hurt him a little bit,” said Paul, who improved to 11-1. “I was scared he was going to hurt me. I was trying to hurt him. I did my best. I did my best.”

Tyson mostly sat back and waited for Paul to come to him, with a few exceptions. It was quite the contrast to the co-main event, another slugfest between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano in which Taylor kept her undisputed super lightweight championship with another disputed decision.

Paul said he eased up starting about the third round because he thought Tyson was tired and vulnerable.

“I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt somebody that didn’t need to be hurt,” Paul said.

It was the first sanctioned fight since 2005 for Tyson, who fought Roy Jones Jr. in a much more entertaining exhibition in 2020. Paul started fighting a little more than four years ago.

“I didn’t prove nothing to anybody, only to myself,” Tyson said when asked what it meant to complete the fight. “I’m not one of those guys that looks to please the world. I’m just happy with what I can do.”

The fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but had to be postponed when Tyson was treated for a stomach ulcer after falling ill on a flight. His record is now 50-7 with 44 knock-outs.

The fight set a Texas record for combat sports with a gate of nearly $18 million, according to organisers and Netflix had problems with the feed in the streaming platform’s first live combat sports event. Netflix has more than 280 million subscribers globally.

“This is the biggest event,” Paul said. “Over 120 million people on Netflix. We crashed the site.”
Among the celebrities were basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal and former NFL star Rob Gronkowski, along with Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones.
—abcnews

SCHOOLS are closing soon and it’s time to pass our final exams and end-of-year tests. Parents had to run around so that fees could be paid. For those at boarding schools parents had to use extra funds for pocket money and groceries. It was indeed a hard and harsh phase for the parents.

In some instances, parents take out loans for school fees. Some approached loan sharks in order to borrow school fees. Parents are struggling with our fees. Some have outstanding balances of this term’s fees.

In some instances, parents approach the school administration in order to make payment plans. Life is hard and challenging, parents are trying by all means possible to make sure that you don’t miss any lessons.

Parents are selling tomatoes, bananas, and clothes. Some are going to South Africa in search of greener pastures to raise school fees. Parents are sleeping in buses travelling so that enough money can be raised for school fees. Check their clothes. The last time they bought themselves new clothes was two years back, but you have everything: new shoes, new exercise books, a new satchel, new uniforms, a new blazer, and a new jersey.

Parents are stressed in order to prepare for their future. Some have developed health challenges such as BP and diabetes. They want to make sure you have everything you need for your education.

How do we repay our parents? Mischief and disciplinary issues. We forget everything and focus on distractors instead of lessons. Our phones are full of pornographic material, nudes and violent music. We engage in sexual relationships, school gossip and abuse the pocket money we are given.

Smoking and drinking will be the order of the day at school.

Some even abscond lessons and don’t write notes and exercises. Some bully other students and have disciplinary cases with the school administration every time. We forget all the hardships that our parents are going through to raise and pay the fees.

Repay the fees that the parents are toiling to get with hard work. For those who are working hard keep it up. The sky is the limit. Remember the way you use your time today will determine your tomorrow. What you plant today is what you harvest tomorrow.

Dr Manners Msongelwa is an author, teacher and youth coach. He can be contacted on +263771019392

Matobo hills are granite hills/kopjes located south-east of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. The hills have an average height of 1 500 metres and cover an area of about 3 100 square metres.

There is evidence of human habitation of the place dating as far back as the stone age before the arrival of the Bantu people groups. The area is characterised by stunning caves, rock art, and sacred hills and shrines. Part of the area is a national park.

It is believed that the name Matobo was given by the founder of the Ndebele people, King Mzilikazi, and it means “bald heads”. Before Mzilikazi the Kalanga people called it Matombo. The British later Anglicised it from Matobo to Matopos.

Evidence of human habitation is clear from the innumerable traces of their tools, art, houses and other structures. Some of the tools date back to the early Stone Age period between 1 500 000 to 250 000 years ago.

There are over 3 000 rock art sites in the hills, some inside massive cavernous caves, whilst most are paintings or sketches on the side of a rock or overhang. The oldest dated San Bushmen paintings in the Matobo Hills are around 13 000 years old, at Pomongwe cave.

Bambata Cave has been excavated to 15 metres providing incredible deposits of remains, dating from around 2 000 years ago to some material dating over 250 000 years old

Silozwane Cave has some of the best preserved and largest murals of ancient San paintings in the Matobo Hills. The cave was also used as the shrine for Ngwali, the oracle and spiritual leader of the indigenous people.

The Njelele Shrine at Matobo is a cave which is of significant spiritual importance in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, as for centuries pilgrims from accross Southern Africa have always visited it for ritual purposes. Its history predates the Tsodilo hills in Botswana.

The Mlimo/Mwali/Mwari/Mlimu/Ngwali/Ndzimu/ worship system of Njelele dates back to the Mapungubwe empire stretching through the Nzimabgwe (Dzimbabwe), Kame (Khami) and Ndebele empires.

Njelele Mountain

Before arrival at Njelele, Ngwali is believed to have trekked from Vendaland, and was brought by the Lubimbi/Malaba clan to present day Njelele caves, having stopovers between the Transvaal passing through Tjizeze, Makwe, Zhilo and Dula.

Ngwali is said to have been a multi-lingual voice heard from the cave directing affairs to those who visited the shrine to consult when met with drought and life challenges. No one ever saw Ngwali. Ngwali was not God but a spirit/messenger sent by God to help the people.

The Matobo Hills are seen as the seat of god and of ancestral spirits. Sacred shrines within the hills are places where contact can be made with the spiritual world.

Matobo represents a powerful intangible tradition of paramount significance in southern Africa.

The founding Ndebele king, Mzilikazi is buried at the Matobo hills. Cecil John Rhodes is also buried in these sacred hills.

The Matobo Hills were designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2003.

With the passage of time, the voice of Ngwali has not been heard as in the olden days. Some say Mwali was offended by fights and disputes over custody of the shrine. Others say colonialism and modern activities have offended Ngwali and the ancestral spirits.

Despite all the challenges pilgrims still trek to Njelele and submit themselves and petition Ngwali by bowing and respectfully saying this salutation:
“Thobela Mbedzi nkulu Dziba levula”

Thobela – Respected one
Mbedzi nkulu – Great lord
Dziba levula – Pool of water
– Mzala Tom

Faith Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

MELLISA Mavhurume, a talented 19-year-old entrepreneur from Bulawayo, is making a significant impact in the resort city of Victoria Falls with her unique handmade products.

Specialising in intricately crafted wooden items, including beautifully curved plates and elegant salt shakers made from natural bone, Mavhurume has turned her passion into a thriving business.

After facing financial challenges post-high school, she drew on the craftsmanship skills inherited from her father, a master artisan, to forge a new path.

Growing up, together with her brother, they would often assist her father in his workshop, learning the intricacies of craftsmanship.

In an interview with Sunday Life, she said those formative years she spent helping her father to create beautiful pieces unknowingly laid the foundation for her future.

“As I navigated the challenging transition to adulthood, I drew upon those skills to forge a new path, one that would become my passion and livelihood,” Mavhurume said.

In February 2022, she was one of the 300 000 girls and young women who received financial literacy training through Pepfar’s Dreams initiative that seeks to offer skill development, market exposure and funding opportunities.

“This programme ignited my motivation to become a businesswoman, transforming my passive skills into actionable goals,” she added.

Through Dreams, she gained entrepreneurship training, attended seminars, and connected with successful businesswomen, this exposure boosted her confidence and equipped her with essential skills.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity which provided inspiration, skills, exposure and funding. After participating in a training that helped build my entrepreneurial skills, as well as some mentoring from women in business, I saved some money and joined my father in this business, together, we make and sell different types of wooden crafts,” Mavhurume said.

As a young woman entrepreneur in male-dominated arts and crafts, she faces unique challenges, people struggle to take her seriously, doubting her standards and capabilities due to her age and gender.

“Some try to undercut my process, saying my work cannot be up to standard because I’m “just a kid”, therefore, despite strong competition in the industry, I have managed to make a footprint, I have established presence in every market and building I entered,” she said.

“With time, these challenges will become laughable stories shared over coffee,.Perseverance and resilience drive my journey.”

With new-found income, she has launched a cake shop called Mellisa’s Delights.

Mavhurume noted that managing her craft and baking business is not easy, but the rewards make it worthwhile, the craft business requires frequent travel, typically three to four times a month, depending on sales.

“Baking is more manageable since I work on an order-by-order basis, I prefer customers to order at least three days in advance, allowing me to balance my schedule effectively,” she said.

“I offer a wide range of flavour, including lemon, poppy seeds and strawberry and can accommodate most customer requests.”

For designs, she can confidently deliver any concept one desires, excluding 3D designs, which she’s currently working on developing.

She highlighted that she struggled to balance work and personal life until recently, when she attended the Girls Rock Summit in Harare, which was a turning point, she learned that neglecting other areas of her life hurts the business.

“Running a successful business requires balance, neglecting personal aspects can lead to setbacks, now I live by “determination makes the dream work” I am working on achieving balance and look forward to sharing my progress soon,” she said.

She urged her age-mates who want to join the entrepreneurial journey to align with their values and passions and to break down big dreams into smaller, achievable steps.

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

BULAWAYO artistes will end this year empty-handed after organisers of the annual ROIL Bulawayo Arts Awards (RBAAs) announced that this year’s ceremony would not be taking place, as they feel that the quality and quantity of their work this year was not up to par.

Established in 2017, the RBAAs have grown to become the crowning glory of the Bulawayo arts scene, bringing honour and glamour to artistes that had often claimed that they are sidelined by other award ceremonies in the country.

Since their inception, the RBAAs have also rejuvenated award ceremonies in the country, with some of Zimbabwe’s older and more established platforms following its lead and copying some of its best bits.

However, in what was meant to be its eighth edition, organisers of the ceremony have announced that the awards will not be taking place this year.

“The Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards Trust wishes to inform all artistes, partners, stakeholders, and supporters of the postponement of the 8th edition of the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards. This decision was not made lightly, as we carefully considered various factors that contribute to the awards’ stature and success,” the statement read.

THE Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards (RBAAs)

According to the Trust, the decision to postpone the awards was made after the realisation that in some genres, not enough submissions had been made.
They also announced that the award ceremony would now take place over the Heroes Day holiday next year.

“While we recognise and appreciate the exceptional quality of work produced by many artists over the past calendar year, we also noted a limited representation across certain genres. To ensure that we have a comprehensive selection of works, we have decided to reschedule the awards to the Heroes Holiday in August 2025. In addition to celebrating arts excellence, the awards will run with the sub-theme ‘Celebrating Our Heroes’ for the 8th edition,” the organisers said.

While there had been no indication that the RBAAs were struggling with sponsorship, the Trust said that they would use the additional time that the postponement afforded them to canvass for more support. They also encouraged artistes to get their ducks in a row in the next few months.

“This postponement will allow for a broader pool of artistic achievements and give us, as organisers, the opportunity to seek additional partnerships and sponsors. We aim to make the 8th edition even more impactful and memorable than previous years.

“This additional time will also allow the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards Trust to rebrand, introduce new faces, incorporate fresh ideas, and work toward delivering an exciting and dynamic awards ceremony in 2025. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and continued support as we work to celebrate and elevate the incredible talent within our arts community,” the statement read.

The postponement will come as a gut punch to artistes in the city, as the ceremony had become a trademark, capping off their work for the year. In a city where artistes usually cry about marginalisation, the RBAAs were a thoughtful gesture that brought much needed recognition to artistes that felt that they were under-appreciated in the past.

BAA Trophies

From the red carpet to the performances, RBAAs were a breath of fresh air, raising the standard for other award ceremonies in the country.

Given the reasons for the postponement given by the organisers, questions will now be asked about the output of city artistes in what has been a relatively quiet 2024 for the arts.

In an interview with Sunday Life, Dalubuhle Sibanda of Umahlekisa Entertainment said that the postponement of the awards was indeed a blow, as the RBAAs were now the city’s flagship event.

“What we tend to understate about the RBAAs is that they are a flagship event that carries Bulawayo arts. If you look at it holistically, we are talking about probably the best award ceremony in the country so shelving them particularly at this time of the year comes as a blow to artistes, no doubt. I haven’t heard a chance to find out the reason why this year’s awards are not happening, but I hope its not a financial issue because if there’s one initiative that we really need to get behind, it is this one,” he said.

Sibanda said the ceremony was not only bringing the spotlight to winners, but to attendees and performers.

“Somehow, we need to grow the RBAAs and refine them because for the average Bulawayo artiste, I can say that this is something that they were working with in mind. When they started work for the year, they would have imagined that they would be rewarded at the RBAAs if all went well. It meant a lot for certain careers and I am not talking about just the winners. For some, just being nominated and even performing at the awards was a great enough honour.

“In addition to that, RBAAs are the highlight of our calendar. They had replaced Kalawa in the sense that they were now that one thing that we could all look forward to. I know that there’s the Bulawayo Shutdown, it doesn’t have that connection with the city that the awards have. So, without the awards we have a big gap in our calendar, and it leaves the Comedy Roast of Sandra Ndebele as the biggest event put together by the arts this year.

So, when all is said and done, we hope this is just a postponement and not a cancellation,” he said.

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter

OVER the past week, a wave of optimism and excitement swept the social media timelines of Zimbabweans as the finals of the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico drew closer.

Optimism is a rare thing on social media, more so among Zimbabweans, who usually find themselves at each other’s throats for even the most trivial of matters.

This past week, however, things were a bit different. The re-election of Donald Trump as the American president was relegated to a forgotten battleground as Zimbabweans had their eyes on a new prize.

Donald Trump

The excitement and optimism were not because the Zimbabwean Warriors, so often a source of heartache, were on the brink of qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations, which they eventually did on Friday evening.

Instead, it was due to developments in Mexico, where Sakhile Dube was steadily proving her worth as Zimbabwe’s representative in the Miss Universe competition.

Every picture of hers posted was met with an avalanche of likes and reposts, as Zimbabweans, for the first time in a while, fully embraced a beauty queen.

Seemingly out of the blue, Dube has become her country’s darling, with even neighbours like South Africa, whose representative pulled out this week because of health concerns, adopting her as one of their own.

While it had been obvious that she had captured Zimbabweans’ attention, when Dube debuted her dress, the Soaring Eagle, she sealed her place in their hearts.

The elaborate design of that dress showed the ingenuity behind her entire campaign, as she sought to illustrate her country’s history, its aspirations and its values in colourful fabric.

“It is a story of Zimbabwe’s proud identity, its natural wonders, and its deep cultural roots,” she said of the head-turning costume.

“The eagle, is a symbol of grace, strength, and vision, represents the majesty of Zimbabwe in this costume.

“These ancient stone ruins, whose name means ‘house of stone’” once served as the seat of a powerful kingdom, representing the height of Zimbabwean civilisation in centuries past,” she said.

“The rock pattern on the dress symbolises strength, resilience, and the deep roots of the nation. Just as these towering stone walls have withstood the test of time, Zimbabwe’s cultural identity remains unshaken, a testament to its people’s enduring spirit.”

It was an audacious outfit, an eye-catching specimen that looked like it belonged in a museum instead of a pageant.

For Dube, a daring 27-year-old who does not seem daunted by anything, it was all par for the course.

Her entire campaign has been marked by the kind of bravery possessed by one who is fully aware that she is not only battling beauties from around the world but history as well.

The country’s premier pageants have not covered themselves in glory over the past decade, which has led to apathy towards beauty queens that represent the country recently.

Scandal after scandal saw an institution that was once adored turn into a laughing stock and a source of great embarrassment for the country.
The scandals that have rocked the nation’s premier pageants have been damning.

In 2014, Miss Zimbabwe winner Thabiso Phiri was stripped of her title after nude pictures of her emerged on social media platforms. Her downfall came less than a month after she had attained the crown. At around the same time, nude and semi-nude pictures of Malaika Mashandu, who had been the crown’s youngest-ever holder in 2011, also emerged.

The following year, Emily Kachote was also stripped of her title when nude pictures emerged yet again.

With all that history behind her, one could have expected Dube to falter. A crown that seems to have attracted scandal and drama in such frequent measure, is very heavy.

However, so far in her reign, Dube has conducted herself with admirable poise and class, restoring a country’s faith in a title that has seemed cursed.

Miss Universe Zimbabwe is once again back as the country’s pride and all of this is down to Dube, a girl who has never stopped believing even with the odds stacked against her.

A child from a polygamous family of seven, Dube was orphaned at an early age.

From those humble beginnings, she pulled herself up by the bootstraps, going on to do a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the Women’s University.

In 2018, Dube was crowned the face of the Zimbabwe Fashion Week while in 2020, she won the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant.

She later won the Miss Earth Zimbabwe contest, before going on to make history as she attained the country’s highest placement for Miss Earth by finishing in the top eight as well as winning various awards including Silver (second) in Best in Swimsuit and Best in Talent.

Last year she scooped the Miss Supranational crown, solidifying her reputation as one of the country’s most successful models.

After all her trials and tribulations, the former Sizane High School student has now proven that it is possible to rehabilitate the country’s beauty pageants when worthy and honourable queens are given the crown.

Sunday Sermon with Apostle Chisale

GREETINGS, beloved nation, in the name of Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:4-5 says, “4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” 

The Bible tells us that whosoever is born of God overcometh the world. We are living in times where things are not favourable. There is a lot of discouragement going on in the world. Things are changing so fast, much to the disadvantage of people. 

There is too much demonic activity and darkness that has covered the whole world. People have lost hope and a sense of direction. They feel defeated in every sphere of their lives—be it business, marriage, or finances—and their fears are real. 

An evil force is sponsoring wickedness, death and disappointment throughout the world. Many people, including men and women of God, have given up. But, I am here to encourage you that despite what we see in this world, there is still hope in the Lord Jesus Christ for those who believe. 

The Bible says, “For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world.” So, we are guaranteed that whatever we are going through, because we are born of God, we are overcomers. Let that giant within you arise both in prayer and faith. 

Whatever the enemy has stolen from you, God is restoring it because you are an overcomer and you are born of God. Many have trusted in horses and in chariots, forgetting to call upon the name of Jesus, who is able to deliver us from all calamities. Jesus, while on earth, told His disciples, “Be of good cheer because I have overcome the world.” The Bible says all things work together for good to them that love the Lord. 

Whatever the devil has meant for evil, God is turning it for good as long as we rise up in prayer and in faith, donning the garments of victory and knowing we are on the winning side. 

Refuse to be discouraged and refuse to give up. There is a God in Heaven. We should have the attitude of winners in spite of what we see and what surrounds our lives. Let us arise and fight every demon that seeks to usurp the graces that God has given us. We can still return to the enemy’s camp, making a demand through prayer, declarations, binding the enemy and reclaiming our blessings. 

Remember, we are born of God, we are overcomers and victory is ours. Let us fight in prayer. The Bible says in 2 Samuel 23:9-10, “And after him was Eleazar, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day and the people returned after him only to spoil.” 

A great army of Philistines was coming against Israel and had surrounded them. The Bible tells us that Israel fled from their enemies. It astonishes me that these are God’s people fleeing from their enemies. I was asking myself, “Where was God when His army was turning from the battle where God was with them?” 

They felt discouraged, perhaps threatened and felt like grasshoppers. Ladies and gentlemen, we walk not by sight. Yes, the reality was that the Philistines looked mightier and more powerful. The children of Israel took their eyes away from God and began to focus on the Philistines and fear seized them. They had forgotten that God was with them and ran away, losing their faith in God. 

This is akin to what is happening in this season. People have left God; they are spiritually dead. May the spirit that was upon Eleazar come upon the church of God and His people. The Bible says that Eleazar “Rose up and smote the Philistines.” What a man! He made a decision; he remembered that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

May we refuse to run away from our situations and face the battles, knowing that God is fighting with us because the Bible says the battle is the Lord’s. Rise in your faith and prayer life and declare to any spirits that have brought sickness, disease, unemployment and disappointment, “I am a child of God. I will stand in faith until the Lord comes for me like He did for Eleazar.” 

Remember, the Bible says in Ephesians that “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of darkness.” These are responsible for diseases and sickness in the world. We will face them like Eleazar. In this season, we need to fight in prayer and even if we grow weary, we must continue fighting in that state—because it seems the devil has raised his standard of wickedness over the church of God. 

God is looking for a man or woman He will partner with, someone who will fight like Eleazar. The Bible states, “His hand clave unto the sword.” This signifies persistence, as we know that persistence breaks resistance. There was a spirit upon this man that allowed him to stand against an army of Philistines alone. What manner of man is this? The spirit that was upon him is called the Holy Spirit and Jesus refers to Him as a “helper.” 

The Holy Spirit came and empowered him to fight an army alone, like a commando. May the Holy Spirit come amidst our troubles and grant us victory. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to help us. Eleazar fought the Philistines alone and the Bible says, “The Lord wrought a great victory that day.” Wow! One person with the Holy Spirit can accomplish great things. “And the people returned after him only to spoil.” 

When you allow the Holy Spirit to fight through you, people will come to enjoy the blessings God has bestowed upon you after you have fought life’s battles through prayer and the Word. Victory equals testimony and blessings. No war, no victory. I invite those who are not born again: as long as you remain unregenerate, you can forget about victory. Come to Jesus, accept Him as your personal Saviour and He will grant you victory. May the Lord God bless our beloved nation, Zimbabwe. Amen. 

For feedback, contact dominionlifechurch01@gmail.com 

Highway to success with Charles Dube

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

Former Miss SA 2024 contestant, Chidimma Adetshina has announced that she will be relocating to Nigeria for good, due to her own personal reasons.

Her relocation comes after the Department of Home Affairs announced this week that Chidimma’s mother has been prohibited from entering South Africa.

Chidimma, who over the weekend was crowned Miss Universe’s first princess, sparked controversy when she entered the Miss SA beauty pageant.

Controversy linked to citizenship

Home Affairs, following a probe, found that her mother, who is a Mozambican national, committed identity fraud. She applied for a legitimate South African ID in 1995 after stealing the identity of a South African. Adetshina’s father is Nigerian. She used the ID document to register Chidimma’s birth.

Chidimma Adetshina

Two days prior to the Miss SA event, Chidimma withdrew from the pageant. This was due to mounting pressure and increasing public outcry over her citizenship.

A few days later, she received an invitation to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant.

Many South Africans, who claimed they are not xenophobic or Afrophobic, supported her and voted for her. This in spite of the controversy.

After being crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma spoke to the media about how difficult her journey had been.
Following her most recent achievement at Miss Universe, Chidimma held a press conference. She revealed that, as much as she would like to explore more, she thinks it is now the end of the road for her.

“I am really proud of where I got to. And feel like that not only did I make myself proud, but I made Nigeria proud and Africa proud. This is the end of the road. I am hoping to further my studies and get to better myself,” said Chidimma.

Chidimma also revealed that she wants to do good things in Nigeria and establish who she is.

Over the weekend she was crowned first runner-up at the beauty pageant in Mexico. She was the only contestant from an African country to make it to the top 10 on the top 30 list.

Mother banned from South Africa

Meanwhile, Home Affairs has confirmed that Chidimma’s mother has been prohibited from entering South Africa. This is resulting in an indefinite ban.

Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs, noted that her passport has been V-listed. He confirmed that investigations were ongoing. Being V-listed means that you are prohibited from entering South Africa.

“The passport known by the department does not show any movement to Nigeria. The only movement was only when she entered the country. The matter of her travelling to Nigeria is still under investigation,” said Schreiber.

Chidimma Adetshina

Lerato Ngobeni, ActionSA parliamentary chief whip, had earlier criticised the department. She questioned it for allowing her to travel abroad while under investigation for alleged identity fraud. And she stressed the need for stronger immigration controls and accountability.

Chidimma’s mother was spotted in Nigeria as her daughter was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria. By then, she was under investigation in South Africa for identity fraud.

Deficiencies in SA’s immigration processes

Ngobeni also questioned the measures put in place by the department to ensure that she did not leave the country. She highlighted that the investigations were at an advanced stage, which included the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation.

“ActionSA believes this matter reflects broader deficiencies in South Africa’s immigration regime. Which has in this instance, for nearly two decades, allowed individuals to evade accountability for fraudulent and criminal activities.

“Since receiving this reply to our Parliamentary Question, ActionSA has been informed by Home Affairs officials that the South African documents issued to Chidimma and her mother are set to be duly cancelled,” said Ngobeni.–Sundayworld