It is with great embarrassment that we find ourselves celebrating the absence of violence as the primary measure of a free and fair election.

I WRITE to you today with a heavy heart and a deep sense of concern regarding the recent Zimbabwe elections held on August 23-24, 2023.

As a proud Zimbabwean, I feel compelled to express my dismay at the state of our electoral process and the alarmingly low expectations we have set for ourselves as a nation.

It is with great embarrassment that we find ourselves celebrating the absence of violence as the primary measure of a free and fair election.

Are we truly content with defining the credibility of our democratic process solely on the premise that we refrained from brutalising and killing one another?

Such a mindset is not only disheartening, but also an insult to the principles of democracy that we should hold dear.

While the ruling Zanu PF party may argue that the elections were free and fair due to lack of widespread violence, we must not allow ourselves to be deceived by this façade.

The numerous irregularities that plagued the elections cannot be ignored.

The banning of opposition rallies, the exclusion of opposition voices from national television, and the manipulative tactics employed by fringe groups like Forever Associates Zimbabwe are blatant examples of the erosion of our democracy.

Furthermore, the deliberate hindrance of the opposition’s ability to participate fully in the electoral process, including the delay in delivering voting materials to their strongholds, are grave injustices.

By forcing citizens to vote in darkness and disenfranchising them, we undermine the very essence of democracy and disregard the fundamental rights of fellow Zimbabweans.

We must not allow the absence of violence to blind us to the truth.

Our elections have become nothing more than a farcical display, designed to deceive the international community while leaving us, the citizens, disillusioned and disheartened.

It is high time we demanded true accountability and transparency in our electoral processes.

As Zimbabweans, we must rise above the complacency that has engulfed us.

We must unite in our demand for meaningful reforms that address the systemic issues plaguing our electoral system.

This includes dismantling barriers to political participation, ensuring equal access to media for all parties, and establishing a genuinely transparent and inclusive electoral process.

It is imperative that we reclaim our dignity as a nation and restore the faith of our fellow citizens in the democratic ideals we hold dear.

We cannot allow ourselves to be content with this illusion of democracy.

We must strive for real change, for the sake of present and future generations.

I implore you, esteemed editor, to use the power of your platform to shed light on the plight of our electoral process.

Let us foster public dialogue and encourage a collective commitment to a genuine democratic progress.

Together, we can bring about the change that Zimbabwe so desperately needs. – Concerned citizen

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By Forbes Africa

BARELY two years after his first sip of wine, Joseph Dhafana was head sommelier at the iconic La Colombe restaurant in Cape Town and began to explore making his own wine. His Mosi Wines and Spirits is a household name today.

With its prolific wine region and world-class restaurants, Cape Town has long been the jewel in South Africa’s tourism crown. Yet the industry isn’t powered by good food and wine alone, but rather, by the dedication of its people.

People like Joseph Tongai Dhafana, sommelier, wine judge and founder of Mosi Wines and Spirits. Impressive title aside, it’s Joseph’s story that truly sets him apart.

Dhafana now lives in Cape Town but grew up in Zimbabwe, an entire world away from his current life. He was raised in Chirumhanzu in the Midlands province, by parents who were subsistence farmers.

“I remember waking up as early as 03:00, going to the field to till the land with an ox-drawn plough. Then, when the sun rose I would run back home via the river to take a bath and get ready for a 12km walk to school – sometimes barefoot,” he explains. “These early mornings before school were very tough but they made me who I am today.”

This resilience is what would ultimately change the course of his life forever. In 2008, at the peak of Zimbabwe’s crisis, Dhafana made the difficult decision to leave his home country in search of better opportunities in South Africa. “Leaving was very painful and I had never dreamed of living outside Zimbabwe,” he says.

Initially, he worked as a gardener in Riebeek-Kasteel, a small town 80km outside of Cape Town, which led him to work in the garden for a local bar.

Here, he moved to washing dishes and waiting tables and was soon promoted to barman, where life took another fortuitous turn.

Here, Dhafana celebrated his 29th birthday and had his first taste of wine – a sparkling wine from nearby Riebeek Valley Wine Co. His first thoughts? “I didn’t like it,” he says simply.

“I remember, the wine was quite tart and astringent with cutting acidity and that was very foreign to my palate.” He adds, “Now I can describe it but back then I had no words to explain how I felt. They now call me the ‘wine poet’.”

Despite a rocky start, this taste of wine awakened something in Dhafana, and before long he had enrolled to do a course at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust; he joined the Cape Wine Academy and eventually, the South African Sommeliers Association, the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy and Court of Master Sommeliers Europe.

Barely two years after that first sip, Dhafana was head sommelier at the iconic La Colombe restaurant and began to explore making his own wine.

“I had saved money and bought grapes to make a barrel each of Chenin Blanc and Syrah… in Riebeek-Kasteel, where it all started.”

Today, Joseph’s Mosi Wines and Spirits – named after breathtaking Victoria Falls nestled between Zimbabwe and Zambia – is a household name.

Regularly appearing on the wine lists of the country’s top restaurants, there is no denying that his hard work and determination have paid off. “Seeing people swirling and sipping my wine just melts my heart,” he says.

“I believe wine is a bottled story and this brand has a lot to say.”

Dhafana’s story is nothing short of remarkable, but as he says, there are a lot of stories like his out there.

“I am proud of the person I am today but I am thankful to those who helped me.”

He doesn’t take this gratitude lightly and now helps others wanting to enter the industry.

“The journey has just started because I am already helping young up-and-coming sommeliers and wine stewards to do better than what I did.” And it doesn’t end there.

Along with his work as a sommelier and a wine judge, he also helped establish and captain Team Zimbabwe at the World Blind Tasting Championships in 2017 and 2018, documented in the documentary, Blind Ambition.

He is a board member of the Black Cellar Club, a non-profit that aims to promote a responsible wine and beverage industry in South Africa and is a judge for the country’s biggest annual restaurant awards, hosted by Eat Out magazine.

Having triumphed over immense challenges, Dhafana’s continued commitment to wine has enriched the industry. “We can’t all be actors or artists to tell our stories but I chose to tell mine by bottling it,” he adds.

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief

PARENTS must pay fees and levies for their children to keep the education system functioning normally, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Torerayi Moyo, has said.

Addressing pupils, teachers and stakeholders during the third National Annual Science, Sport and Arts Festival (NASSAF), which ended last Friday at Chaplin High School in Gweru, Minister Moyo said it was the responsibility of every parent to ensure that their children are not disturbed by the failure to pay fees on time.

“There is an issue that keeps on happening in schools and that is barring pupils from schools over failure by their parents or guardians to pay school fees and levies,” he said.

“As the ministry, we emphasise that no pupil should be turned away over non-payment of fees according to the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Turning them away is a violation of the pupils’ rights.

“No school is allowed to turn away students for whatever reason and if you commit a crime, the long arm of the law will descend on you.”

The minister said parents should understand that the responsibility for failure to pay school fees is on their shoulders hence they must realise that quality education will be compromised unless they play their part.

“However, it’s a prerogative of parents and guardians to pay fees and levies for their children on time,” he said.

Given the prevailing socio-economic challenges, the minister explained that the Government has put in place safety nets such as the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme to cushion those from disadvantaged homes.

The programme was adopted in 2001 and pays tuition and examination fees, and levies for underprivileged students.

“Those who come from disadvantaged homes we have social nets such as BEAM, which is disbursing fees for the pupils from disadvantaged homes,” said Minister Moyo.

“Yes, we hear that here and there, there will be delays in the disbursing of the fees and we will appeal to the Ministry of Finance to expedite the payment of BEAM so that school activities are not disrupted.”

He applauded the teachers for playing an important function in unpacking the curriculum and delivering it the best way to achieve the 21st century transformation.

“As we celebrate the contribution of our teachers, we also recognise the important role that our school leadership is playing on the ground because this sector will rise and fall on the basis of service delivery on the ground, at school level, inside the classroom, outside in the field, in the practical learning areas,” said Minister Moyo.

“Of course, the most important results are achieved when our school leadership, parents, pupils themselves and the wider communities work as one team.”

Minister Moyo emphasised the need to link character development and mentorship to ensure knowledge and skills is couched within a sound value system, the right attitude, healthy self-empowerment, as well as good personal habits that bring out Zimbabwean virtues of unhu/ubuntu.

“We all know that the issue of substance and drug abuse is of national priority because if we did not take care of this menace, all these beautiful things we have seen here and the potential benefits of the curriculum may not be achieved because of this important imperative,” he said.

“All schools should, therefore, consistently reinforce current efforts to eliminate substance and drug use, misuse and abuse amongst our pupils, around our communities and even in our families.

“We have to fight this as a united force using our schools as centres of excellence to ensure that vision 2030 is achieved,” said Minister Moyo.