Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
THE beginning of a new year often brings a sense of hope and renewal.
As 2024 draws to a close on Tuesday, Zimbabweans from various backgrounds reflect on the past year while looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that 2025 may present.
While some set goals for 2024 and achieved them, this was not so for others.
Stories published by The Sunday Mail Society in 2024 highlight a year marked by significant success, as well as societal challenges and personal tragedies in Zimbabwe.
In short, the year was a mixed bag.
As the nation looks forward to 2025, these events underscore the urgent need to address underlying social issues and ensure the well-being of the citizens. The year 2025 also presents a chance for accomplished individuals from Zimbabwe to persist in their commendable efforts towards fostering an improved society.
Below, The Sunday Mail Society recaps some of the stories from various sectors of society that made headlines in 2024.
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Jaison Muvevi’s twisted
web of deceit
The Sunday Mail Society carried a story that gave readers a glimpse of alleged murderer Jaison Muvevi’s life.
The story revealed how the Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison inmate lived a life of deceit before being placed behind bars.
Muvevi was jailed two years ago after allegedly committing a series of gruesome murders that deeply traumatised the Hwedza community and the nation. He is facing four counts of murder and one of attempted murder. The crimes are said to have been committed between November 2022 and January 2023.
The multiple murder suspect is in solitary confinement at the maximum-security facility, awaiting trial.
This publication revealed that the former police officer, who had become a miner, had three families.
In Zvishavane, he had a wife and three children; in Kadoma, another wife and two children; and in Harare, yet another spouse and two offsprings.
Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Mail Society in jail, the murder suspect revealed that he had customarily married all three women and financially supported them.
However, the wives were unaware of each other’s existence, though they all supposedly communicated with their mother-in-law.
Being a gold miner, his wives were used to Muvevi being away from home for weeks or months.
At any given time, two of the wives would be under the impression that he was away working, while he was with the third one.
Also, many people, especially in Hwedza, where he allegedly committed the crimes, still have many unanswered questions regarding the acts.
Muvevi was deemed mentally unfit to face trial by the court following an evaluation conducted by State doctors. He is presently undergoing treatment.
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Fortune hunters
invade chiefs’ courts
When navigating any social media platform today, be it Facebook, YouTube, TikTok or WhatsApp, one is likely to encounter a video depicting an intense and unrestrained traditional court session.
In 2024, social media content creators increasingly filmed and broadcast footage, at times live, from the country’s traditional courts.
This transformed low-key proceedings into popular online content.
This trend raised concerns over privacy and legal issues, and the impact of the practice on the justice delivery system.
It also raised concerns about the explicit content and vulgar language used, especially in cases involving infidelity.
A snap survey conducted by The Sunday Mail Society indicated that online content creators had effectively established a presence at several traditional courts.
More than 15 local aggressive content creators, some fly-by-night producers, travelled extensively to film court sessions for broadcast.
However, the public raised concerns about the growing trend, which continues to take the traditional court system to uncharted territory.
Allegations surfaced that the filming was occurring without the consent of the accused and the defendants.
Additionally, the legality of broadcasting such productions was questioned.
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Chief Hwenje down
with cancer
Chief Hwenje, born Admire Sanyanga Sibanda, who was a well-toned, jovial giant, was diagnosed with lymphoma.
This type of blood cancer affects the lymphatic and immune system.
It occurs when lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells, develop abnormally and multiply out of control.
The two main types of the disease are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The lymphomas had spread throughout his body and doctors recommended cutting to remove some of them, lest they continued to develop into cancer.
Apart from losing weight, Chief Hwenje also had to shave his signature dreadlocks in preparation for critical surgery and treatment.
With the help of the Government, he later underwent surgery in India.
Due to the ailment, Hwenje missed at least eight booked shows in 2024.
For the few that he fulfilled, he had to take pain medication.
At times, the medication was ineffective in alleviating the pain, compelling him to exit the stage earlier than intended.
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Worry over
misguided learners
The Sunday Mail Society unearthed some “unholy” activities at eateries around Joina City.
The area became a major drawcard, particularly for perverts and paedophiles.
Some of the supposed patrons were high school learners dabbling in prostitution.
The area around Joina City had become a convenient pickup point for some learners, particularly weekly boarders, who allegedly engaged in drug and prostitution-inspired hook-ups.
Weekly boarding learners spend four nights at school and are expected to go home every Friday for the weekend.
After checking out from school, some wayward learners were capitalising on the time to connect with potential clients.
Reports suggested they initially linked up through social media, before physically meeting around Joina City.
To avoid easy detection by school or other relevant authorities, the learners would quickly change from their school attire into plain clothes in toilets in the vicinity.
At times, they would pay a small fee to access the facilities.
Older men driving fancy cars could be seen picking up the young girls for different destinations for a “weekend getaway”.
The area had become infamous for the illegal hook-ups, making it easy for one to visit and walk away with a “date” even without prior arrangement.
Living on the edge: Harare’s irregular settlements
We carried a story that revealed the tragic consequences of constructing homes in unsuitable areas, as exemplified by the experiences of a resident only identified as Tsabora. He lost his possessions to flooding in an irregular settlement.
As highlighted in our story, Tsabora could only watch helplessly as his two-roomed house in the Jacha area of Epworth was flooded.
Many structures like his — built on land not ideal for housing development — crumbled, leaving their once-proud owners counting their losses.
Furniture, appliances and clothes, among many of his valuables, were all swallowed by the storm’s fury, leaving behind a shell of a house and a gaping void in Tsabora’s life.
Residents from other parts of Epworth had since christened the neighbourhood “Waterfalls”.
The previous owner had told Tsabora that the area was about to be surveyed by the local authority ahead of regularisation, ostensibly to induce him into buying the property.
This is, however, a common story in most of the unplanned settlements in and around Harare.
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Unregulated service
stations multiply
In 2014, efforts by a local petroleum dealer to set up a fuel station in Zengeza 1, Chitungwiza, hit a snag.
Although a structure had already been erected, the authorities ordered the dealer to put the brakes on the project, which was apparently located in a residential area, posing a threat to residents’ safety.
Years later, residents were shocked when the project resumed. The fuel station is currently operational.
In the capital, along Kenneth Kaunda Way, another fuel station is located within a building, just behind a popular wholesale store, raising safety fears for the public and surrounding businesses.
This situation in Harare is just a microcosm of what is happening across Zimbabwe.
Over the years, the country has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of fuel stations, with some being built in questionable spaces like road servitudes, residential areas and even close to water sources.
In some cases, several fuel stations are clustered within a small radius, raising concerns over the rationale behind such an arrangement.
The Sunday Mail Society gathered that, while currently there are only 280 properly registered and located fuel stations, the number of those operating is way more than that.
Last year, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority nabbed 292 individuals for operating illegally and others who were setting up shop without authorisation.
The same year, 32 fuel retailers were prosecuted and convicted of selling fuel that did not meet specifications. The offences included trading in adulterated fuel, resulting in three of the 32 culprits having their licences suspended.
In the first half of this year, 11 fuel retailers were found on the wrong side of the law, leading to prosecution.
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Fake hips, backsides: The dark side of quest for curves
This publication also looked into the growing trend of artificial enhancements aimed at achieving an hourglass figure.
The article highlighted a significant market demand for such procedures, which raise serious concerns regarding the potential health risks involved. It dwelt on how artificial enhancements, including busts, hips and backsides, aimed at achieving the sought-after hourglass figure, have increasingly become popular among some women.
The market for artificial hips appears to be thriving. It is supported by a variety of products such as silicone butt pads, padded skin tights, hip- and butt-shaping undergarments, and padded bras.
Some of these enhancements consist of silicone bums designed for placement on the bust or hips. These are made from high-quality silicone material, the casing slightly wrinkled, with pores and veins to imitate the natural skin.
But it seems many do not fully understand the health implications and complications that come with their desire to look “beautiful”.
According to health experts, silicone underwear could come with negative health implications.
The situation could be dire for those who have embraced the more expensive silicone butt injections.
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A new era of rural luxury
Our stories also highlighted successes achieved by Zimbabweans in 2024. For example, one article focused on the emergence of modern, solar-powered homes in rural areas around Harare, showcasing a shift towards sustainable living and self-sufficiency among residents.
A drive through Domboshava, Bindura, Nyabira, Seke, Mhondoro and other areas around Harare revealed a growing trend of modern, solar-powered homes equipped with boreholes, flush toilets and running water.
Most of these properties are being built by local young people and in some instances residents living abroad who plan to use them as retirement homes.
Numerous readers were under the impression that reputable companies were constructing these modern homes.
However, our story detailed how local individuals in rural areas have developed the skills to erect such sophisticated buildings.
The article also showed how solar-powered homes have become commonplace in many rural areas.
Most homes are equipped with satellite dishes, offering a wide range of television channels just like in urban areas.
Additionally, we told the story of many families that have adopted gas cooking.
The spacious communal stands have been praised for enabling residents to undertake various projects.
Many homeowners, particularly in Domboshava and Goromonzi, have installed boreholes on their properties. These have proven invaluable for horticulture. Solar power allows for the convenient irrigation of crops using running water.
Additionally, poultry and pig farming have become popular ventures.
Readers were also excited by the article that demonstrated the motivating narratives of individuals who have prospered despite lacking formal educational credentials.
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Academic failure not
the end of the road
We profiled Taurai Sewera, who sat O-Level examinations in 1993 and never went to collect his results.
After school, with no academic or formal professional qualification, he became a “bush mechanic” (untrained mechanic).
At the age of 20, he was already a breadwinner for a family of six.
He has since turned into one of the few automotive technicians who can fix different types of vehicles, as well as earthmoving and farming equipment.
He now exchanges notes with some of the best minds in the automotive industry globally.
The automotive specialist is one of the few technicians in Africa who is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for light-duty diesel, as well as medium- and heavy-duty trucks. He is also an advanced level specialist (L1).
ASE is a professional certification group. It certifies professionals and shops in the car repair and service industry in the United States and parts of Canada.
Furthermore, he is the first African member of the Texas-based Automotive Service Association (ASA), which is considered the biggest professional body for automotive service and repair professionals.
In another profile, rising sungura singer Mark Ngwazi also has a story to tell.
He had a chance to write O-Level exams, but could not pass even a single subject.
With no one giving him a chance to pursue his dream of becoming a musician, he became a security guard. He would carry his guitar to work and take time to practise before using his salary to record his debut album “Zvandigumbura” in 2013.
He is now one of the most sought-after sungura singers in the country, a farmer and a homeowner in Waterfalls.
daniel chigunwe
