Popular local actress Anne Nhira has touched off a storm on social media after writing to acting Tourism minister Patrick Zhuwao calling for the ban of South African provocateur, Zodwa Wabantu, from participating at the Harare International Carnival 2017 which begins tomorrow.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
The Mzansi star had been invited to participate at the cultural extravaganza alongside Samba dancers from Brazil and Cuba, but the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) set a condition that she would only participate with her undergarments on.
Zodwa Wabantu’s disdain for panties, however, is an open secret.
Nhira on Tuesday took to Facebook to celebrate the government’s decision to “ban” the Mzansi star.
“She will no longer be attending the Zimbabwe National Tourism Carnival event. The Zimbabwean government has made the decision and I am happy with their decision as stated in the letter from the acting Tourism minister and Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Honourable minister Patrick Zhuwao after receiving my letter of concern together with Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Rural Development (sic),” she said.
Nhira attracted largely vicious responses on social media as thousands of people lashed out at her, arguing that she should rather have written to the government to address serious issues.
Other social media users argued that Zodwa Wabantu was “more covered” than the Samba dancers who are set to parade the streets of Harare.
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There was also a general feeling that the Mzansi star danced more decently than Beverly Sibanda, who has also participated at the carnival before.
Facebook users said they would have been happier if government ministers treated every socio-economic issue with the same urgency and seriousness demonstrated by Zhuwao.
“How special is Zodwa to the level that every Zimbabwean minister showed utmost concern on her ban. I saw Karikoga Kaseke pleading in front of people like a street beggar, appealing for Zodwa to come to Zimbabwe without panties. I saw him live on television extending a shameless apology to Zodwa. Am yet to hear a minister apologising to the Zimbabweans for dipping them in painful pools of poverty, misery and hunger through their mismanagement of this economy,” wrote one user.
They said there has never been an apology over the high levels of unemployment and patients dying in public hospitals due to lack of skilled labour, equipment and medicine.
One NewsDay reader described Zodwa as “an excellent entertainer” while another suggested worse things happened behind the scenes during Nhira’s time at Studio 263 where she cut her teeth in the film industry.
