NewsHawks 22 April 2022

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 51

Issue 77, 22 April 2022

perfect grammar and a surprising war, pandemic, financial meltdown, less like democracy and more like rule how to handle it. parental consent) at 13 back in 1998,
level of coherence. In a year or two, or constitutional crisis. by the most aggressive. Childhood has become more tight- while making little provision for ef-
when the programme is upgraded to fective enforcement. The age should
GPT-4, it will become far more capa- What changes are needed? Rede- But it is within our power to re- ly circumscribed in recent generations be raised to at least 16, and compa-
ble. In a 2020 essay titled “The Sup- signing democracy for the digital age duce social media’s ability to dissolve — with less opportunity for free, un- nies should be held responsible for
ply of Disinformation Will Soon Be is far beyond my abilities, but I can trust and foment structural stupidity. structured play; less unsupervised time enforcing it.
Infinite,” Renée DiResta, the research suggest three categories of reforms Reforms should limit the platforms’ outside; more time online. Whatever
manager at the Stanford Internet Ob- — three goals that must be achieved amplification of the aggressive fringes else the effects of these shifts, they More generally, to prepare the
servatory, explained that spreading if democracy is to remain viable in while giving more voice to what More have likely impeded the develop- members of the next generation for
falsehoods — whether through text, the post-Babel era. We must harden in Common calls “the exhausted ma- ment of abilities needed for effec- post-Babel democracy, perhaps the
images, or deep-fake videos — will democratic institutions so that they jority.” tive self-governance for many young most important thing we can do is
quickly become inconceivably easy. can withstand chronic anger and mis- adults. Unsupervised free play is na- let them out to play. Stop starving
(She co-wrote the essay with GPT-3.) trust, reform social media so that it Those who oppose regulation of so- ture’s way of teaching young mam- children of the experiences they most
becomes less socially corrosive, and cial media generally focus on the legit- mals the skills they’ll need as adults, need to become good citizens: free
American factions will not be the better prepare the next generation for imate concern that government-man- which for humans include the ability play in mixed-age groups of children
only ones using AI and social media democratic citizenship in this new dated content restrictions will, in to cooperate, make and enforce rules, with minimal adult supervision. Ev-
to generate attack content; our ad- age. practice, devolve into censorship. But compromise, adjudicate conflicts, and ery state should follow the lead of
versaries will too. In a haunting 2018 Harden democratic institutions the main problem with social media accept defeat. A brilliant 2015 essay Utah, Oklahoma, and Texas and pass
essay titled “The Digital Maginot Political polarisation is likely to in- is not that some people post fake or by the economist Steven Horwitz ar- a version of the Free-Range Parenting
Line,” DiResta described the state of crease for the foreseeable future. Thus, toxic stuff; it is that fake and out- gued that free play prepares children Law that helps assure parents that
affairs bluntly. “We are immersed in whatever else we do, we must reform rage-inducing content can now attain for the “art of association” that Alexis they will not be investigated for ne-
an evolving, ongoing conflict: an In- key institutions so that they can con- a level of reach and influence that was de Tocqueville said was the key to the glect if their eight- or nine-year-old
formation World War in which state tinue to function even if levels of an- not possible before 2009. The Face- vibrancy of American democracy; he children are spotted playing in a park.
actors, terrorists, and ideological ex- ger, misinformation, and violence in- book whistleblower Frances Haugen also argued that its loss posed “a seri- With such laws in place, schools, ed-
tremists leverage the social infrastruc- crease far above those we have today. advocates for simple changes to the ous threat to liberal societies.” A gen- ucators, and public-health authorities
ture underpinning everyday life to architecture of the platforms, rather eration prevented from learning these should then encourage parents to let
sow discord and erode shared reality,” For instance, the legislative branch than for massive and ultimately fu- social skills, Horwitz warned, would their kids walk to school and play in
she wrote. The Soviets used to have to was designed to require compromise, tile efforts to police all content. For habitually appeal to authorities to re- groups outside, just as more kids used
send over agents or cultivate Ameri- yet Congress, social media, and par- example, she has suggested modifying solve disputes and would suffer from to do.
cans willing to do their bidding. But tisan cable news channels have co- the “Share” function on Facebook so a “coarsening of social interaction”
social media made it cheap and easy evolved such that any legislator who that after any content has been shared that would “create a world of more Hope after Babel
for Russia’s Internet Research Agency reaches across the aisle may face out- twice, the third person in the chain conflict and violence.” The story i have told is bleak, and there
to invent fake events or distort real rage within hours from the extreme must take the time to copy and paste is little evidence to suggest that Amer-
ones to stoke rage on both the left wing of her party, damaging her fund- the content into a new post. Reforms And while social media has eroded ica will return to some semblance of
and the right, often over race. Lat- raising prospects and raising her risk like this are not censorship; they are the art of association throughout soci- normalcy and stability in the next five
er research showed that an intensive of being primaried in the next elec- viewpoint-neutral and content-neu- ety, it may be leaving its deepest and or 10 years. Which side is going to be-
campaign began on Twitter in 2013 tion cycle. tral, and they work equally well in most enduring marks on adolescents. come conciliatory? What is the likeli-
but soon spread to Facebook, Insta- all languages. They don’t stop anyone A surge in rates of anxiety, depression, hood that Congress will enact major
gram, and YouTube, among other Reforms should reduce the out- from saying anything; they just slow and self-harm among American teens reforms that strengthen democratic
platforms. One of the major goals was size influence of angry extremists the spread of content that is, on aver- began suddenly in the early 2010s. institutions or detoxify social media?
to polarise the American public and and make legislators more responsive age, less likely to be true. (The same thing happened to Cana-
spread distrust — to split us apart at to the average voter in their district. dian and British teens, at the same Yet when we look away from our
the exact weak point that Madison One example of such a reform is to Perhaps the biggest single change time.) The cause is not known, but dysfunctional federal government,
had identified. end closed party primaries, replacing that would reduce the toxicity of ex- the timing points to social media as disconnect from social media, and
them with a single, nonpartisan, open isting platforms would be user verifi- a substantial contributor—the surge talk with our neighbours directly,
If we do not make major changes primary from which the top several cation as a precondition for gaining began just as the large majority of things seem more hopeful. Most
soon, then our institutions, our po- candidates advance to a general elec- the algorithmic amplification that American teens became daily users Americans in the More in Common
litical system, and our society may tion that also uses ranked-choice vot- social media offers. of the major platforms. Correlational report are members of the “exhausted
collapse. ing. A version of this voting system has and experimental studies back up the majority,” which is tired of the fight-
already been implemented in Alaska, Banks and other industries have connection to depression and anx- ing and is willing to listen to the other
We now know that it is not just and it seems to have given Senator “know your customer” rules so that iety, as do reports from young peo- side and compromise. Most Ameri-
the Russians attacking American de- Lisa Murkowski more latitude to op- they can’t do business with anony- ple themselves, and from Facebook’s cans now see that social media is hav-
mocracy. Before the 2019 protests in pose former President Trump, whose mous clients laundering money from own research, as reported by The Wall ing a negative impact on the country,
Hong Kong, China had mostly fo- favored candidate would be a threat criminal enterprises. Large social-me- Street Journal. and are becoming more aware of its
cused on domestic platforms such as to Murkowski in a closed Republican dia platforms should be required to damaging effects on children.
WeChat. But now China is discover- primary but is not in an open one. do the same. That does not mean us- Depression makes people less likely
ing how much it can do with Twitter ers would have to post under their real to want to engage with new people, Will we do anything about it?
and Facebook, for so little money, in A second way to harden democrat- names; they could still use a pseud- ideas, and experiences. Anxiety makes When Tocqueville toured the United
its escalating conflict with the US. ic institutions is to reduce the power onym. It just means that before a plat- new things seem more threatening. As States in the 1830s, he was impressed
Given China’s own advances in AI, we of either political party to game the form spreads your words to millions these conditions have risen and as the by the American habit of forming vol-
can expect it to become more skillful system in its favour, for example by of people, it has an obligation to ver- lessons on nuanced social behavior untary associations to fix local prob-
over the next few years at further di- drawing its preferred electoral dis- ify (perhaps through a third party or learned through free play have been lems, rather than waiting for kings or
viding America and further uniting tricts or selecting the officials who will non-profit) that you are a real human delayed, tolerance for diverse view- nobles to act, as Europeans would do.
China. supervise elections. These jobs should being, in a particular country, and points and the ability to work out dis-
all be done in a non-partisan way. are old enough to be using the plat- putes have diminished among many That habit is still with us today. In
In the 20th century, America’s form. This one change would wipe young people. For example, universi- recent years, Americans have started
shared identity as the country lead- Research on procedural justice out most of the hundreds of millions ty communities that could tolerate a hundreds of groups and organisa-
ing the fight to make the world safe shows that when people perceive that of bots and fake accounts that cur- range of speakers as recently as 2010 tions dedicated to building trust and
for democracy was a strong force that a process is fair, they are more likely rently pollute the major platforms. It arguably began to lose that ability in friendship across the political divide,
helped keep the culture and the polity to accept the legitimacy of a decision would also likely reduce the frequen- subsequent years, as Gen Z began to including BridgeUSA, Braver Angels
together. In the 21st century, Ameri- that goes against their interests. Just cy of death threats, rape threats, racist arrive on campus. (on whose board I serve), and many
ca’s tech companies have rewired the think of the damage already done to nastiness, and trolling more generally. others listed at BridgeAlliance.us.
world and created products that now the Supreme Court’s legitimacy by the Research shows that antisocial behav- Attempts to disinvite visiting We cannot expect Congress and the
appear to be corrosive to democracy, Senate’s Republican leadership when ior becomes more common online speakers rose. Students did not just tech companies to save us. We must
obstacles to shared understanding, it blocked consideration of Merrick when people feel that their identity is say that they disagreed with visiting change ourselves and our communi-
and destroyers of the modern tower. Garland for a seat that opened up unknown and untraceable. speakers; some said that those lectures ties.
Democracy after Babel nine months before the 2016 elec- would be dangerous, emotionally
We can never return to the way tion, and then rushed through the In any case, the growing evidence devastating, a form of violence. What would it be like to live in Ba-
things were in the pre-digital age. appointment of Amy Coney Barrett that social media is damaging democ- bel in the days after its destruction?
The norms, institutions, and forms of in 2020. A widely discussed reform racy is sufficient to warrant greater Because rates of teen depression We know. It is a time of confusion
political participation that developed would end this political gamesman- oversight by a regulatory body, such and anxiety have continued to rise and loss. But it is also a time to reflect,
during the long era of mass com- ship by having justices serve staggered as the Federal Communications into the 2020s, we should expect listen, and build.
munication are not going to work 18-year terms so that each president Commission or the Federal Trade these views to continue in the genera-
well now that technology has made makes one appointment every two Commission. One of the first orders tions to follow, and indeed to become This article appears in the May
everything so much faster and more years. of business should be compelling the more severe. 2022 print edition with the headline
multidirectional, and when bypassing Reform social media platforms to share their data and their “After Babel.”
professional gatekeepers is so easy. A democracy cannot survive if its algorithms with academic researchers. The most important change we can
And yet American democracy is now public squares are places where people Prepare the next generation make to reduce the damaging effects *About the writer: Jonathan
operating outside the bounds of sus- fear speaking up and where no stable The members of Gen Z — those born of social media on children is to delay Haidt is a social psychologist at the
tainability. If we do not make major consensus can be reached. Social me- in and after 1997 — bear none of the entry until they have passed through New York University Stern School
changes soon, then our institutions, dia’s empowerment of the far left, the blame for the mess we are in, but they puberty. Congress should update the of Business. He is the author of The
our political system, and our society far right, domestic trolls, and foreign are going to inherit it, and the prelim- Children’s Online Privacy Protection Righteous Mind and the co-author
may collapse during the next major agents is creating a system that looks inary signs are that older generations Act, which unwisely set the age of so- of The Coddling of the American
have prevented them from learning called internet adulthood (the age at Mind, which originated as a Sep-
which companies can collect personal tember 2015 Atlantic story.
information from children without

Page 52 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 77, 22 April 2022

Rich Britain sending refugees to Rwanda isn’t
‘burden-sharing’. It’s shameful exploitation

JOSHUA SURTEES

IN my time working for the office of British home secretary Priti Patel (left) and Rwandan foreign minister Vincent Biruta (right) enacting the immigration policy on 14 April 2022.
the United Nations High Commis-
sioner for Refugees, a stark fact was of Nauru  for a similar purpose, it without prior permission. in order to keep the streets looking accordance with the refugee conven-
often mentioned: the vast majority of gave aid in return. Australia — an When UNHCR’s Asia and Pa- appealing for tourists attracted by tion,” says the memorandum. But
the world’s displaced people are host- immensely privileged country — ef- the country’s international marketing what about the UK’s obligations to
ed by the world’s poorest countries. fectively paid a less economically cific director, Indrika Ratwatte, vis- campaigns. Rwandans who oppose or abide by the convention that it is a sig-
fortunate country to take desperate ited Nauru in 2018, he reported his criticise the government are liable to natory to? What about that long and
Today, 85% of refugees live in de- people off its hands, in some cases shock at the immense toll that long- be informed on by neighbours, placed proud history of protection?
veloping countries while the richest for years. The British government is term detention had taken on people’s under surveillance, blackmailed, tor-
nations host just 15%. callously copying the Australian play- mental health — over 80% had been tured, sent to rehabilitation camps or UNHCR, the organisation de-
book, while its PR agents in the press diagnosed with PTSD, trauma and even killed. signed to uphold the convention, has
While Rwanda might be develop- trumpet this coup as some kind of tri- depression. “The sense of hopeless- said it will delay its judgment on the
ing economically, it is still among the umph. ness and despair was extremely tan- Many  Rwandans were forcibly re- legality of Patel’s deal until its legal
world’s 25 poorest countries. The UK gible,” he told the press. In Greece turned to the country from refugee teams in Geneva have analysed the
is among the world’s 10 richest coun- “Rwanda plan to smash the Chan- in 2020, asylum seekers living at the camps in neighbouring countries in details. Its position, though, is clear.
tries. To acknowledge the disparity of nel gangs”, read the Daily Mail’s Moria reception centre on the island the years after the 1994 genocide. “UNHCR does not support the
wealth between the two nations and front page. “Bold plan to send boat of Lesbos burned it down in what was Many continue to risk their lives or outsourcing of asylum states’ obliga-
decide that Rwanda is better able migrants to Rwanda”, said the Daily perceived by many as a protest at the liberty to trek through remote jungles tions,” it said in a statement.
to accommodate people attempt- Express, as though the prime minister poor conditions and dangerous levels to escape and flee to Uganda as ref-
ing the treacherous journey across had overseen a selfless act of reason, of overcrowding. ugees themselves. When was the last There are longer-term solutions to
the Channel takes a huge leap of the humanity, bravery — striking a blow time anybody fled the UK seeking solving the world’s ongoing refugee
imagination. The deal  announced by for compassion, saving England from We should not automatically as- asylum abroad? crises, such as addressing the root
home secretary Priti Patel  in Kigali the scourge of people simply trying to sume that Rwanda’s model of host- causes that endanger people’s lives
on Thursday demonstrates the gov- escape death and poverty. When Bo- ing asylum seekers will follow thatof In reporting Patel and Johnson’s and livelihoods. But a fundamental
ernment’s tenacious commitment to ris Johnson referred in his speech on Lesbos or Nauru. Indeed there are plan, the Daily Telegraph said that principle of any morally functioning
positioning Britain as a country that is Thursday to people “illegally entering some good news stories about refugee “migrants will be encouraged to set- government is to uphold the human
closed to the world, and to those who the country” he was using the worst integration there. But Rwanda, which tle” in Rwanda. The agreement does rights of people to seek safety, and not
need its sanctuary the most. kind of semantics.  Refugees  fleeing Johnson describes as one of the world’s not appear to give them much choice shift that responsibility to states with
conflicts or persecution do not have safest countries, is also a country that in the matter. Their options, should less developed asylum systems.
There has been a great deal of po- the luxury of entering Britain legally. impinges on the rights of its own cit- Rwanda not turn out to be a safe or
litical debate and condemnation since If they had the time and opportunity izens. What guarantees can we have sustainable place for them, will be — The Guardian.
the policy was announced, and the to apply for a UK visa they would not that non-citizens will be well received? somewhat limited. *About the writer: Joshua Surtees
government arranged for the arriv- in essence be refugees. Seeking asylum is a journalist and former writer for
al in Rwanda of the British media it routinely involves entering a territory Rwanda has  internal transit cen- “Rwanda will ensure that it will UN High Commissioner for Refu-
thought best placed to help it trumpet tres  where people deemed “undesir- treat each relocated individual, and gees.
this manoeuvre in time for the local able” – including beggars – are sent process their claim for asylum, in
elections. But there are still questions
we must ask to ascertain whether this
is a cynical ploy or a thought-through
policy.

Is it because Rwanda has more
geographic capacity, perhaps? More
free land or housing infrastructure? Is
Britain really bursting at the seams?
Rwanda’s population density is almost
double that of Britain’s. It is a country
almost twice as crowded as ours. Yet
per capita it already hosts  five times
as many refugees as the UK. As well
as hosting Congolese and Burundian
refugees, Rwanda has recently offered
itself as a host country for the emer-
gency evacuation of refugees trapped
in dire conditions in Libya.

In the introduction to the Home
Office’s memorandum of understand-
ing  with Rwanda, the UK boasts of
having taken in 25 000 Syrian refu-
gees, as a way of demonstrating its
“long proud history of providing pro-
tection to those who need it”. This
claim is laughable. More than 6 mil-
lion Syrians have fled their country
in the 11 years since war began. For
much of the crisis, Lebanon hosted 2
million Syrians — representing a third
of Lebanon’s 6 million population.
Bangladesh, one of the world’s most
densely populated countries, hosts
close to 1 million Rohingya refugees
from Myanmar. Poland is currently
hosting 2.7 million Ukrainians. These
figures put in context what it really
means to protect those in need.

The memorandum speaks of
“burden-sharing” during refugee
crises.  Rwanda, a country that has
experienced its fair share of crises, is
already shouldering its share of the
burden. The UK comfortably has the
capacity to take in people crossing the
Channel. It is neglecting its share of
the burden, while persuading Rwanda
to carry more.

How the home secretary managed
to convince the Rwandan government
to accept this arrangement may be-
come apparent in due course. When
Australia utilised the tiny island state

NewsHawks Africa News Page 53

Issue 77, 22 April 2022 BANK OF ZI

RESERVE MBABWE

Foreign Exchange Auction Results 20 April 2022

SMEFX84/2022 MAIN FX90/2022
Number of Bids Received : 1 174 437
20
Number of Bids Disqualified : 52 417
417
Total Number of Bids Accepted : 1 122 USD26,068,380.08
USD26,068,380.08
Total Number of Bids Allotted : 1 122
175.00000
Total Value of Bids Accepted : USD4,277,846.44 145.8700

Amount Allotted : USD4,277,846.44

Highest Rate Received : 200.0000

Lowest Bid Rate Allotted : 140.0000

Weighted Average Rate : 155.1419

PURPOSE AMOUNT AMOUNT

Raw Materials ALLOTTED ALLOTTED

Machinery and Equipment SME AUCTION MAIN AUCTION
Consumables (Incl. Spares, Tyres, Electricals,
etc) 1,028,490.67 12,432,100.95
Services (Loans, Education, Dividends, 1,469,672.45 6,424,792.61
Disinvestments, etc)
Retail and Distribution (Incl. Food, Beverages, 489,801.80 1,729,467.72
etc)
Electricity 603,222.09 1,772,360.71
Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals
363,293.68 2,053,313.04
Paper and Packaging 3,449.45
TOTAL 1,009,081.45
GRAND TOTAL AWARDED 184,609.58 647,263.60
135,306.72
4,277,846.44 26,068,380.08

30,346,226.52

Notes
1. Bids with overdue CD1s, outstanding Bills of Entry (BOEs), insufficient ZWL and

those with sufficient FCA balances were also disqualified.
2. Some Bids were allotted on a pro-rata basis.

RESERVE BANK OF ZIMBABWE
20 April 2022

Page 54 World News NewsHawks

Issue 77, 22 April 2022

Borris Johnson vows to stop UK
exports to India ending up in Russia

BORIS Johnson has said he will close They add: “Moreover, there are “Boris Johnson’s vanity trip to In- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. securing Mariupol – but he paid trib-
loopholes to ensure UK exports to In- myriad companies based around the dia was designed to distract from his many more months, and may result ute to the resistance of Ukrainians:
dia cannot end up being used in Rus- world, including in the Czech Re- law-breaking and failure to tackle the in a Russian victory, Johnson said: “No matter what military superiority
sian weapons, as he conceded the war public, Serbia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, cost-of-living crisis. But he can use “The sad thing is that that is a realis- Vladimir Putin may be able to bring
in Ukraine could go on until the end Turkey, India and China who will this report to help halt the Russian tic possibility. to bear in the next few months – and
of next year, and Russia could win. take considerable risks to meet Russia war in Ukraine. He must press for I agree it could be a long period – he
supply requirements.” urgent action from prime minister “Of course, Putin has a huge army. will not be able to conquer the spirit
Speaking in Delhi at the end of a Modi to clamp down on weapons He has a very difficult political posi- of the Ukrainian people.”
two-day visit, the UK prime minis- Labour’s shadow defence secretary, parts passing through India and into tion because he’s made a catastrophic
ter warned that Vladimir Putin was John Healey, accused Johnson of go- Russian hands,” he said. blunder, so that the only option he He announced that the UK would
resorting to a “grinding approach” ing on “a vanity trip”, and urged him now has really is to try to use his ap- reopen its embassy in Kyiv next week,
in Ukraine; and suggested the UK to do more to press India to clamp Asked about briefings from west- palling, grinding approach, led by ar- and suggested more ministers could
would help to “backfill” countries in- down on exports that could be used ern intelligence figures suggesting tillery, trying to grind the Ukrainians follow his lead and visit the Ukrainian
cluding Poland if they provided heavy in defence. the Ukraine conflict could go on for down.” capital in the coming weeks.
weaponry such as tanks to Kyiv.
Johnson said Putin was close to And he suggested the UK could
Johnson was asked a report by send weaponry to neighbouring
the Royal United Services Institute countries who could provide Ukraine
(Rusi), warning that India was one of with arms. “We are looking at send-
a number of major routes for smug- ing to tanks to Poland to try to help
gling arms to Vladimir Putin’s regime. them as they send some of their T72s
[tanks] to Ukraine,” he said.
He pointed to the ban on export-
ing technology products to Russia, An MOD spokesperson clarified
saying: “We want to ensure we keep the remarks on Friday evening, say-
that tight. We’ll be making sure that ing: “As announced by the prime min-
we don’t allow any loopholes of any ister, the UK is currently exploring
kind … we will take steps to make sending British Challenger 2 tanks to
sure that stuff doesn’t go through oth- Poland. While no decisions have been
er routes to Russia.” taken, these would be deployed on a
short-term basis and operated by UK
Hours before the Rusi analysis service personnel to bridge the gap
was published, the government an- between Poland donating tanks to
nounced it would ease arms export- Ukraine, and replacements arriving.”
ing licensing arrangements with New
Delhi by issuing an open general Johnson discussed Russia’s inva-
export licence to India, hailing clos- sion of Ukraine with Modi when
er defence cooperation as one of the the pair held bilateral talks on Friday
wins from the prime minister’s two- morning.
day trip.
India’s foreign secretary, Harsh
The report from Rusi, a 26-page Vardhan Shringla, told reporters
overview of Russia’s military situa- Johnson put “no pressure” on Modi
tion, says western economic sanctions over the issue.
mean Moscow will become increas-
ingly reliant on component-smug- Delivering a statement alongside
gling to ensure its jets, missiles and Johnson on Friday, Modi called for
other hi-tech munitions can func- an “immediate ceasefire” in Ukraine,
tion. Some components have a dual and emphasised the importance of
civilian and military use. diplomacy, but did not criticise Rus-
sia, which is India’s biggest supplier of
Its authors, Jack Watling and Nick arms.
Reynolds, warn that “Russia has es-
tablished mechanisms for laundering India has abstained from successive
these items through third countries”, United Nations motions condemn-
and they argue that India should ing Russia, and continues to buy
be subject to specific restrictions. Moscow’s oil.
“Restricting access, therefore, likely
means preventing export to coun- The Russian foreign minister, Ser-
tries such as India of goods that are in gei Lavrov, met Modi in Delhi this
some instances used for civilian pur- month, and insisted the two coun-
poses,” the two write. tries would continue to find ways to
trade, despite western sanctions on
Russia. — The Guardian.

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 55 Issue 77, 22 April 2022

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA ZimPraise’s The Jesus Revolution
Season 13 was worth the wait!
EASTER Monday might have been
a quiet day to unwind and perhaps most always has something new. And the hymns projects. So ZimPraise is 15 years. them we want the HICC, or a PA
reflect on the holiday that had been. the music speaks to the young and has done many other projects which “In actual fact, we should be re- system. We give them specifications.
old. According to ZimPraise Legacy are hymns night 1, hymns night 2,
But that was not the case for gos- chief executive Joseph Madziyire, 3 and fourth hymns which we did leasing our 15th season while we are “Sometimes we don’t even get to
pel music lovers who thronged the the Jesus Revolution project is the during Covid-19 which you may celebrating our 15 years but because know the figures, because our ser-
Harare International Conference first one since the country went into have seen which were done in Mu- of Covid-19. We have not been vice providers and partners pay di-
Centre where ZimPraise The Legacy Covid-19 lockdown. torashanga. able to release two other seasons, rectly.
launched their latest project, dubbed so what’s going to happen is we are
The Jesus Revolution Season 13. And the project is the first live “We have also done a Women gonna be releasing this season 13 “So, for us, it’s pretty much mak-
recording to feature a live audience, of Praise project and we have done which is a project which we have ing sure that our ticket sales are
Like their previous launches, the which Madziyire described as new. ZimPraise Kids project but I must been working on for the last,  I must good. That’s what sustains the acad-
latest project featured a coterie of say the seasons are particularly the say, four to five months,” Madziyire emy. But, in terms of monetary val-
yuppies, businesswomen, celebrities “The latest project is not anything main projects which we release every said. ue, which is what most people may
and also socialites. you have heard before. It is relevant year. Hymns are released every two want to know, maybe we can sit
because it speaks to the situation years but this season's project, we Madziyire also thanked their cor- down at the end of the year, we can
Energy was high on and off the now. have pretty much been releasing it porate partners NetOne and South say, we’ve done this project, com-
stage where the audiences were kept every year until Covid-19 hit. African Airways for continued sup- munity outreach and we’ve done
on their feet song after song, some- “For the last two months we have port of the project, saying they be- the church drive. And then we can
thing which ZimPraise is known for. been working on a project which we “So for the last two years we hav- lieve in their vision. put together and say, oh, this is how
have named as the Jesus Revolution.  en’t released any project, any season’s much NetOne has invested in Zim-
But on stage, you could not have project, and this is gonna be releas- “And like you will appreciate most Praise over a period of six months,”
missed the fresh voices, new faces “This is season 13, which means ing the 13th season while ZimPraise of the things are not things which he said.
and sound which have become a it is the 13th project which we have they’ll say, here is money. We’ll tell
part of the ZimPraise Academy. worked on as ZimPraise outside of

The Jesus Revolution Season 13
project features amazing voices who
graduated from the ZimPraise Acad-
emy.

This is one thing that has sus-
tained the group as each project al-

Page 56 State of the Culture NewsHawks

Issue 77, 22 April 2022

Politicians are fuelling hate crimes

ONLY hate and barbarism could have ought to in terms of the socio-econom- to explain away the massive graft and George Floyd by a United States po- Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini.
produced the sort of spectacle the world ic challenges which bedevil it. If leaders corruption endemic in national gover- liceman who was later convicted for the marketplace of ideas, people thrive and
witnessed a few weeks ago when a and communities do not have a proper nance. Zimbabwe is such a case study. crime and sentenced. innovation blossoms. As things stand,
baying mob of South Africans moved analysis of causation for the continent’s South Africa has apparently seemed to we even have a discussion around patri-
from house to house in Johannesburg's many problems then we must wait for join that bandwagon 27 years down the The ANC  along with other parties otism. As I wrote last week, parties are
Diepsloot slum to hunt down undoc- Jesus to return and set things right ! line as an independent nation. Undoc- marched against the extrajudicial kill- not God. They come and go. 42 years
umented migrants or whoever it was umented immigrants is the bogeyman ing. Stunningly, South Africa, a hotbed down the line, we are having to ques-
that did not meet their dubious criteria. In Zimbabwe, we have the sanctions tacitly being sold to the masses by some of Afrophobia, joined a global chorus tion each other’s loyalty to Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean migrant Elvis Nyathi was mantra as the counter argument for the member of that country’s body politic. against the murder of George Floyd. principally based on party libes. What
callously murdered. country’s economic malaise. At the In- Blame the joblessness on foreigners tak- Somehow, this was not the case last is patriotism in our context? Is a mem-
The death of Elvis dependence celebrations in Bulawayo ing the jobs of South Africans. It is a week with the killing of Nyathi, a black ber of the ruling party more patriotic
In my entire life, I have never seen such a recently, the President used the sanc- soft target for populist politicians. Her- man, murdered by fellow black hands.  than one belonging to the opposition
graphic, willful, brazen  and horrific de- tions narrative to explain the state of the man Mashaba was originally the lead- What is wrong with the continent? or alternative? What is the definition
struction of human life as I did with the country’s hospitals. Really? While we ing activist against illegal migrants. His Why does it seem that we enjoy passing of patriotism that obtains?  I do know
video which was doing the rounds on have Western-imposed sanctions, we do Action SA party the buck and pointing fingers at others? that our society is growing more pola-
the beating and burning of Nyathi. The have a formidable China as an ally. So? clearly benefitted rised by the day.  There is a coalescing
ostensible reason as per the narration from his incen- Why indeed should around party lines that is toxic. Zimba-
of his wife, was that Nyathi had tried But even the Southern African De- diary anti-im- African lives mat- bwe is not a priority actually. Pettiness
to escape the crowd which was looking velopment Community adopted the migrant rhetoric ter to the rest of the and power are.
for a gun in his shack. The wife said the sanctions mantra. Actually, the African last year at the Addy world when on the Parting shot
couple told them they had none. She Union as an entity has called on West- polls and his par- continent the people To be frank, our leaders simply must
also said that one in the crowd asked for ern nations to lift sanctions imposed on ty is a new player Kudita and the leaders alike stop running from their own shadow.
300 rand but the couple could produce Zimbabwe. From a strategic commu- seem ready to shed They must adopt a new ethos guided
only 50 rand. nication standpoint, the ruling party in South Africa African blood with by a genuine "Zimbabwe first" agenda.
has won that battle on African soil. The as a result. A class very little or no prov- Speaking about it merely is not enough.
Whatever the reason, no one is say- West, however, remains unconvinced analysis of South Africa’s socio-econom- ocation? Why should There is no argument against tangible
ing that the late gardener was a crim- for various reasons. ic problems is absent from the mouths anyone care what happens to us when development. There can be no oppo-
inal. But he died at the hands of a An African malady of most of the populist politicians. The we think nothing of taking responsibili- sition against infrastructure develop-
bloodthirsty mob. In church speak, Geopolitical concerns will always loom ages old structural defects of that econ- ty for our own lot in this life? ment.
they were clearly demon fuelled. One large in foreign affairs and nations that omy aside, they have their scapegoat: Someday
was pounding Elvis with a knobkerrie have their interests will accordingly push Zimbabweans. There must arise another crop of Afri- There can be no mobilisation against
as another joined in. The third person those interests using whatever apparatus cans. There must be another generation stemming the tide of corruption. When
had a can of kerosene or petrol and was at their disposal. That is a no brainer. The humane that answers to the call to excellence, all is said and done, a Zimbabwean
pouring it upon Elvis who was literally Personally, I am mortified that there are My problem with politicians is their accountability and respect for human crying out against violations is not a
on fire. It was a harrowing and dastardly matters that African nations and leaders messaging. Oftentimes, they say things life and difference. Currently, we have traitor to the country. In any case, the
deed. Later, I saw a video of one of the can control and take responsibility for to curry favour with voters and treat a mass of people who seem enamoured independence of this nation ultimately
ANC youth leaders, Thabang Molefe, which they appear unwilling to. How human life cynically. In Africa, my ob- with power for its own sake and are not was realised through a groundswell of
insisting that they wanted foreigners -- are sanctions or illegal migrants involved servation is that African lives are not ready to entertain the idea of diversity international support and negotiations.
specifically Zimbabweans -- to leave the in either illicit gold smuggling by con- mattering to Africans as much as they and tolerance. We have indeed a mass of Why should it be any different now
country while accusing them of com- nected elites or corruptly awarded ten- ought to. I recall the pontification and people who criminalise alternative voic- when the citizens feel brutalised by their
mitting crimes. ders to ruling party officials? Somehow, marches in the aftermath of the vid- es as if to say they are infallible. This in- own leaders? Should they suffer in si-
The evil culture of impunity there is always a need for a bogeyman eotaped killing of African American tellectual dishonesty grates because in a lence and to what benefit?
What is even more evil was the com-
ment on Twitter by Nhlanhla "Lux"
Dlamini, the leader of the infamous
Operation Dudula operation, against
illegal migrants. He was unrepentant
about the murder of Nyathi and said
he did not feel sorry about the death.
Some South Africans have cited the
alleged killing of seven South Africans
by foreigners as some sort of rationali-
sation for the killing of Nyathi. But this
is mind bending for me. Zimbabweans
have been stereotyped in South Afri-
ca. Safe to say, they are public enemy
number one, especially in the depressed
communities.

That a ruling party   official could
be placed on record mouthing what
amounts to hate speech and inciting
violence against migrants is telling. So
many questions arise. Does South Af-
rica really believe that Zimbabweans
are the reason why their community
is riddled with crime ? It beggars belief
the vigilante group behind Dudula is
thriving unchecked in South Africa.
We have a parallel in Zimbabwe of the
machete gangs in Midlands. The police
in South Africa and Zimbabwe seem to
have no ability to deal with suspected
ruling party affiliates who take the law
into their own hands.

I do not blame the police who are
under the spell of way ward and law-
less politicians however. But the culture
of impunity festers and last week the
putrid wound burst. Nyathi has been
bothering me as much as the death of
Mboneni Ncube did. Something had to
give. Four men have since been charged
with the killing of Nyathi whose death
has become the second such gruesome
death after the torching of Mozambican
Albert Namauve a few years ago under
almost similar circumstances.
Buck passing narratives
I now see why the continent may not
heal from mediocrity as quickly as it

NewsHawks Poetry Corner Page 57

Issue 77, 22 April 2022

Title: An epoch of despair Title: Graduates Title: Contemplation
Tafadzwa Lemuel Chiwanza Poet: Tashinga Ruth Ndindana Poet: Samuel Chuma

It rained all week - Graduates, luke warm hopes
rolling billows of raging waters Remember that day at the pavilion and unmilked opportunities
swept Sun into rivers, We waved our caps in the air taste of unsweetened dreams
for forty nights Our caps of knowledge and bitter expectations
an army of droplets rattled roofs, Remember when we curtseyed staring with mocking severity
shattered windows screamed As we were being capped from the muddy depths
and the waters mopped all sounds, Magraduate, of this day's cuppa
from their freezing tongues. Annointed marombe that I am fated to greet
new-borns cried silently Glorified broke niggas each unforgiving morning.
their tongues drowned in the rain Now flooding the streets half smoked existence
that vowed to cut them from umbilical cords, Ma ‘US’ Ma ‘Rands’ ne rate rinonaka pulled at now
fish and crabs crept into caves Zvichanaka is the new anthem with waning eagerness
plants drowned- Magraduates, drifts agonisingly away
and others grew old in crevices, ‘Takadya maBhi’ and won the race leaving a tar deposit
fishermen sew blankets from their nets, Now we play temple run of unremovable regrets
made fire from their boats, Day in, day out in my constricted heart
and bartered stories for dinner. Playing cats and dogs with the police yester-year's regalia
Illegal vendors, fending for a better life I wear with disdain
************************************ At dusk we all go home the victims' armour in battles past
Title: What else do you have to bring? Grateful for an extra dollar made that I know shall taste victory
Poet: Fungai Jayaguru Grateful we’re not huddled in a corner in battles to come.
In a cold cell at central
Don't bring apples to my table, bring ethics Grateful for freedom ************************************
and etiquette! You could be a billionaire’s bas- Freedom?
tard, Dripping billions whenever you roll cards, We are tied tight by a python Title: The Cell phone
You could be a world class dope man; The knot tightens on our lungs Poet: Sheikh Al Dirani
With sixty-pack muscles and sexy swag takes, With every single exhale
Your magazine features won't trick my trophy, We will squirm till the last breath Tool box of untruths
If your mind is empty then we got no deal, The lying machine
I crave depth, I love peace, I desire intense ************************************ Casket of living skeletons
wisdom! Kindness is how I define humanity, Pandora’s Box of blinding secrets
Responsibility is adulthood! Title: The sun is also a star? The wife’s don’t-touch,
How much do you know about the world out- Poet: Sir Octagon The husbands’ no-go-area
side yours? My names are many
The walls beyond that which you have seen? They said the vast Greenland was ripe, Like the Legion of dark daemons.
Emotional intelligence hits me hard-core, Ready for harvest! While the world pretends to sleep
Can you maintain your cool in the hit of a Alas, a bright blinding yellow inconvenience. Who can tell of the cyber-whispers?
flared fight? How big is your ego if I may ask? “The sun is also a Star", they said; Seducing a neighbour’s wife?
A humble man is my "hey babe" Sweating profusely, The deadly deals steeped in dark secre-
Deep conversations is what gets me drooling, As they watched the day slowly melt to ashes. cy?
Your investment skills strike me better than Tomorrow is another day! Insipid lies corroding the pillars of a city?
what you earn, Who can tell, yes who can tell
Your direction is definitely what signs me in, Of the viral venoms swallowing villages
Your television size matters not, your vision With scandalous wiki-leaks?
does! Of course you are the king of fashion; World Wide Web; War of wounding words
but how is your heart clothed? Short-gun of character assassination
Is there a place for God in your rich soul? Peddler of pornography
Can you save a stranger without a show? And perennial spring of obscenities;
How you treat others says a lot about your Hand grenade of gossip
sum being, I need you to love yourself first Network of Wi-Fi witchcraft
before you love me, Whose sorcery is in the sms
What money can't buy, that my heart can twice My casualties are many as tombstones in
call, Apart from an uninsured car and a flashy a public cemetery.
purse;
What exactly do you intend to bring to my
table?

Page 58 People & Places NewsHawks

Issue 77, 22 April 2022

Zim tourism operators
to attend Durban indaba

A DELEGATION of Zimba- who include officials, tour organ- After a two-year freeze due world. spearheaded by Tourism minister
bwean government officials, isers, hospitality industry players, to Covid-19 which brought the Owned by SAT and organised Mangaliso Ndlovu.
tour operators and hospitality safari operators and travel agents world to a standstill, Africa’s pre-
industry players will attend this ready for the event,” Koti said. mier travel indaba will be back by Synergy Business Events (Pty) “We have a combination of
year’s tourism indaba organised and run from 2 May to 5 May in Ltd, it has won awards for Afri- material and intangible ele-
by South African Tourism (SAT) “These stakeholders will be South Africa’s warm coastal city. ca’s best travel and tourism show, ments, tourist attractions, facil-
in the usually bright and breezy showcasing their products and including from the Association ities, services and activities in
coastal city of Durban at the be- services, while cutting business Tourism operators, visitors, of World Travel Awards. Zimbabwe which we want to
ginning of next month. deals and building networks business, international exhibi- sell to potential clients. We are
that will advance their interests tors of hospitality products and Koti said Zimbabwe will be promoting Zimbabwe as a Meet-
Zimbabwe Tourism Author- well beyond the event. We are media will gather in Durban, as selling an attractive package of ings, Incentives, Conferences
ity (ZTA) corporate affairs ex- travelling as a group to share SAT welcomes delegates from tourism products; a combina- and Exhibitions (MICE) hub; a
ecutive Godfrey Koti told The costs and we will have our own across the continent and the tion of tangible and intangible tourism approach which plans,
NewsHawks this week a group pavilion at the venue, where we world to connect and do busi- elements such as natural, cultur- books and organises conferences,
of 20 stakeholders have already will showcase Zimbabwean of- ness, contributing to the African al and man-made resources, at- seminars and other events. We
confirmed they will travel to fers to the world through the continent’s tourism sector recov- tractions, facilities, services and will ensure business events held
Durban for Africa’s premier tour- event. It’s a great opportunity for ery. Zimbabwean tour operators, activities as part of its tourism in Zimbabwe are run smoothly
ism event, which returns after a business and we will emphasise visitors, businesspeople, exhib- recovery plan. in the right environment, with a
two-year hiatus due to the glob- business-to-business interactions itors and media will attend the competent and professional staff
al Covid-19 pandemic. More and arrangements. As ZTA, our prestigious event. Africa’s Travel Tourism — which the au- complement ready to take care of
participants are likely to join primary focus will be to build Indaba is one of the largest tour- thorities want to build into a the market needs.”
the delegation as the travel date linkages and relationships with ism marketing platforms on the US$5-billion industry by 2025
draws closer, he said. exhibitors and visitors, especially African calendar and one of the — is one of the sectors the Zim- Zimbabwe is a vibrant host of
those from our key source mar- top three must-visit events of its babwean government, under many festivals and events every
“We are preparing for the kets, which include South Africa, kind in the world. President Emmerson Mnangag- year — ranging from domestic
Durban tourism indaba because the United States, United King- wa, wants to grow towards its tourism events, music concerts,
it’s a big marketing platform for dom and Germany. We will vig- It showcases the widest variety upper middle-income status by local wine tastings, urban mar-
us as ZTA, a government tourism orously promote the Visit Zim- of Africa’s best tourism products 2030. It is guided by the Nation- kets and international events, as
marketing agency. So far we have babwe campaign in Durban.” and attracts international buyers al Tourism Recovery and Growth well as cultural activities.
a delegation of at least 20 people, as well as media from across the Strategy, an official tourism blue-
print, whose implementation is — STAFF WRITER.

NewsHawks Sport Page 59

Issue 77, 22 April 2022 Chakabva
lands Keeley
Marcus Nel (with ball) playing in a World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in Harare last year.
Cricket
FOUR overseas-based rugby play- Zim tweaks squad for kit deal
ers and one Under-20 player have Kenya blockbuster
been added to Zimbabwe’s match- ZIMBABWE wicketkeeper Regis
day squad for the blockbuster tie tigious domestic competition does An interesting selection is that Tshamala 7. Johan Du Preez 8. Chakabva has landed a kit spon-
against African rival Kenya in the not make the rivalry any inferior. of Old Hararians halfback Ernest Aiden Burnett 9. Hilton Mudariki sorship deal with Keeley Cricket,
Currie Cup on Saturday. “Tsongi” Mudzengerere, who fea- (captain) 10. Riaan O’Neill 11. Er- one of the world’s most reputable
In pursuit of his first win of the tures for the Goshawks on Satur- nest Mudzengerere 12. Takudzwa sports equipment manufacturers.
Front rowers Doug Juszczyk and tournament, Zimbabwe’s coach day at wing. It is the first time at Chieza 13. Marcus Nel 14. Russell
Gabriel Sipapate, based out in New Brendan Dawson has made some this level of the game that he will Dinha 15. Connor Kennedy. 34-year-old Chakabva has
Zealand and Spain respectively, notable changes, notwithstanding not be playing as a scrumhalf. signed up for the British company,
and then England-based halfback that some of his premier players Subs: 16. Declan Ralphs 17. which has made superior hand-
Kyle Galloway alongside Young are yet to arrive in South Africa for SQUAD Doug Juszczyk 18. Gabriel Sipapa- made bats for world-renowned
Sable Brendon Marume, start on the tournament. Starting: 1. Victor Mupunga 2. te 19. David Makamba 20. God- batting stars like Chris Gayle and
the bench for the Zimbabweans. Matthew Mandioma 3. Bornwell win Mangenje 21. Tonderai Chi- Virat Kohli.
Thus far, his trusted lock pairing Gwinji 4. Kudakwashe Nyakufar- wambuta 22. Kyle Galloway 23.
The fifth newcomer to the of Kudakwashe “Goofy” Nyaku- ingwa 5. Andrew Evans 6. Biselele Brendon Marume. Barbadian-born Briton Winston
tournament for Zimbabwe, En- faringwa and Andrew Evans he has Weekes recommended Chakabva
gland-based Marcus Nel, an ex- kept. to London-based Keeley Cricket,
youth international, makes the which is owned by brothers Tim
starting XV at outside-centre. and Nick Keeley.

Zimbabwe and Kenya, whenev- “He will receive the full kit –
er they meet, is not a match to be bats, pads, gloves, wicket-keeping
underestimated. That the occasion equipment,” said Weekes. “And
this time around is the second-tier Keeley are very happy to sponsor
league of South Africa’s most pres- him, because he is a great lad.”

Can we have more youngsters If selected, Chakabva will use
I FINALLY had the opportunity to watch As a football nation we have a serious Youths are daring and fearless by na- the bright prospects of that era alongside his new kit for the first time when
Dynamos’ teenage sensation Bill Leeroy shortage of coaches who believe in giving Zimbabwe host Namibia and Af-
Antonio live in action when his team youngsters a chance to showcase their tal- ghanistan this winter in a series of
played Highlanders in the recent Uhuru ent. international limited-overs match-
Cup final at Barbourfields Stadium. es.
So often we have heard coaches talking
The youngster may not have lit up about how they want a promising young- Regis Chakabva.
Emagumeni, but he did show flashes of ster to first gain experience before he can
brilliance and certainly deserves all the get game time, but one can only wonder please?
attention that he has been getting in the how the kid will get the experience if he is as a junior player and is still yet to com-
media. not being selected and is not getting game ture and nothing fazes a youngster who the likes of Black Aces winger Nqobizitha mand a starting berth at Bosso.
time in the first place. has been given a run by his coach and has Ncube.
At 19 years of age, the Dynamos hot- been told to just go out there and enjoy Denying a bright young prospect game As far as I am concerned, the differ-
shot recently captured the country’s at- Local coaches are failing to capitalise on himself. time can dent their confidence and High- ence in the two players’ development
tention when a video of his brilliant goal youthful exuberance and produce gems Those who were at Caps United, like landers’ Godfrey Makaruse is one player stems from the fact that the Bantu Rovers
against Black Rhinos went viral on social like we have seen happening in Europe. me, during Tostao Fungai Kwashi’s come whose development was stifled in such a technical team believed in Sibanda’s abil-
media platforms. up, know what I am talking about. manner. ities despite his young age and gave him
Former England striker Michael Owen His father, Godera was a room to flourish, while at Highlanders
Before that, Antonio had become a made his Liverpool debut at age 17 and the late Steven standout perform- Makaruse was sidelined because he lacked
topic of discussion amongst football fol- scored on the day. He went on to become Kwashi, would er who was feared experience. 
lowers when he was called up to the Zim- their leading scorer every season between introduce the HawkZone by many of his
babwe national team by Norman Mapeza 1997 and 2004. then up-and- peers during his One can only wonder if the likes of
and made his Warriors debut in the World coming player days as a junior Kuda Mahachi, Marvelous Nakamba and
Cup qualifier against South Africa’s Bafa- At 18 years and 59 days, Owen made as a substi- player in the Bosso Teenage Hadebe would have gone on to
na Bafana in November 2021.   his debut for the Three Lions and went on tute and tell Sakheleni development ranks become household names had it not been
to win the Ballon d’Or at the age of 22 the youngster and, together with for
Mapeza and Antonio’s club coach Ton- years, four days. to “isa deya Nxumalo Bukhosi Sibanda
derai Ndiraya should be praised for hav- Toasie” (go out of Bantu Rovers, Methembe Ndlovu’s belief that young
ing the guts to field the teenager. A teenage Owen was one of the stars there and nut- they were touted as players can deliver on the field of play just
of the 1998 World Cup in France and meg them). future stars. like their more experienced counterparts.
I so wish we could have more would leave seasoned defenders trailing in The younger At 20 years of
like-minded coaches. his wake. Kwashi would get into the fray and do age, Sibanda set the local topflight alight I wish Antonio continues to shine so
step overs, attempt nutmegs and all sorts as the captain of Bantu Rovers in 2017. that his exploits can convince other coach-
of trickery with the ball. His goal-scoring exploits earned him a es to change their mindset and give de-
I feel that the licence to go out there move to South Africa while Makaruse serving youngsters a chance to strut their
and have fun helped him grow into one of never lived up to the promise he showed stuff.

*About the writer: Sakheleni Nxum-
alo is a sports journalist and football
coach based in Bulawayo.

Sports A crippling
poverty of
leadership
at Zifa

‘Humiliated, intimidated,
degraded’ ref reports
Thursday 1 October 2020 sexual advances

Friday 22 April 2022 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS CULTURE

Community
radio
regulations
under review
Transforming lives the$60Covid
tariff for
visitors &
tourists
Story on Page 3 Story on Page 8

Shaun DCehSaomuziaswa aryeac
ENOCK MUCHINJO out to Khupecurtain-raiser for the Springboks’ clash
with the All Blacks.
SENT to a compassionate orphanage at “My debut was in 1999 under the
a young age, the biggest take-away for Australian coach Mark Donato against
Shaun De Souza from the institution Namibia,” says De Souza. “It truly was
was the values of impacting lives. an amazing feeling playing at Loftus
under captain Brendan Dawson and
So for De Souza rugby is more than Unofficial president calls for emergealongside some Zimbabwe legends like
a game. It is an opportunity to pass Bright Chivandire, Kennedy Tsimba,
down what they taught him at St Jo- Ian Noble, Bedford Chimbima, Victor
seph’s House for Boys in Harare – help- Olonga, Paul Georgeou.”
ing boys grow into responsible men. De Souza was really quick, and at PE
he broke sprinting records, of which he
“Rugby values are actually life les- is incredibly proud. But athletics was
sons for me,” De Souza tells The New- that not the only code he excelled at.
sHawks this week. “Integrity, passion, “I was actually a hockey player first
discipline, and respect. These have car- because that was the main winter sport
ried me throughout my life. Sometimes at primary school so I carried on when
I did not even realise it. But when one I went to PE,” De Souza says.
reflects, you find that the values play a “Then one day I was pulled off the
big part.” hockey training field and put into
rugby boots by Kevin Atkinson (later
De Souza shed tears last week in to replace the legendary Barnes as PE
Kenyan capital Nairobi, unable to con- headmaster), who was my first rugby
trol his emotions, when he transformed coach. With more matches I grew into
a group of Zimbabwean working-class the game and began to understand and
adolescent boys into African champi- love rugby. I was fortunate to be select-
ons, for the first time in over a decade ed for the Zimbabwe Under-16 team in
that the country has won the Barthes my first season of playing the game. I
Cup. also played football as a goalkeeper, and
volleyball. But the main sports were
It is no mean achievement when you athletics, rugby, and basketball. At PE
consider that the victorious squad for I was an all-rounder. From being the
Zimbabwe in this past Under-20 Afri- Young Farmers’ Chairman, basketball
can championship was largely made up captain, and rugby vice-captain.”
of home-grown players, most of them Of course, those who arrived in high
not first-team material for their former school anywhere around Harare, in
high schools, come to think of it. those days, knew of one De Souza from
Prince Edward and as much as a rival he
Come to think of it, too, that in was, we all adored him.
the final in Nairobi last Sunday, the “For athletics, running at the Na-
Young Sables defeated a Namibia side tional Sports Stadium was a definite
composed of elite private school boys, highlight. I did well in the sprinting
graduates of some of the most expen- events in 400, 200, and 100 metres
sive schools this continent has to offer. events and in relays. It was an honour
ALSO INSIDE Finance Ministy wipes out $3.2 Billion depositonhreasamrifenubgnefadolrlsetahned sdcuhZroiinomlgs r'ascchelaasn.”tteinsgt mlaynd c
Growing up with grandparents from Faith also plays a role in De Souza’s
Arcadia and Sunningdale, Harare’s best personal life, and in sport.
known mixed-race neighbourhoods, Shaun Douza with the Under-20 African championship trophy. “I’m Muslim and I follow Islam,” he
and attending Moffat Primary School,
life taught a young Shaun how to came a brotherhood for me, ‘brothers has taken us thus far. At St Joseph’s, we that we played on Sunday afternoons.” says. “My religious values play a massive
co-exist. from another mother’ was the mantra had good facilities. They kept us busy 44-year-old De Souza amassed Sa- role in moulding me as a human being.
we stood buy. We all got to build a with football, basketball, tennis, swim- It definitely helps on and off the field
“I grew up with my grandmother sense of camaraderie and a bond than ming, we even had a marimba band bles caps between 1999 and 2003, to be patient, to be calm and have good
in the early stages of my childhood in making his debut in Cape Town in a intentions with everything I do.”
town then I ended up at St Joseph’s
House for Boys,” De Souza says.

“I then went to Prince Edward Boys
High. The legendary Prince Edward
headmaster Clive Barnes was a St Jo-
seph’s board member so he helped me
get into Prince Edward. St Joseph’s be-

ALSO INSIDE Zimbabwe tweaks squad for Kenya blockbuster