Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Lifestyle Senior Writer
A new wave of authentic influencers is emerging in Zimbabwe, fiercely defending victims of social media trolls.
This fresh breed of Good Samaritans, driven by compassion, aims to restore the dignity of those who have suffered humiliation online or abuse in their homes.
Many victims have faced bullying and found themselves without a shoulder to lean on after enduring such distressing experiences.
They include children, women, the elderly and others grappling with despair.
Thanks to the efforts of some dedicated content creators, these individuals have caught the attention of genuine benefactors, who are transforming their lives after years of ridicule.
The sympathy, love and both moral and material support that victims of cyberbullying are receiving have shifted the narrative, making Zimbabwe a haven for Good Samaritans.
As a result, the lifestyles of these victims are changing, with some now thriving and now living large.
Instead of promoting hate, embarrassment and lunacy, social media has become a sanctuary for many to rebuild their lives.
Sadly, others are using these platforms as havens for begging for luxuries.
In today’s issue, The Herald on Saturday Lifestyle examines some high-profile cases that have captured the attention of real influencers throughout the year.
Policymakers have been encouraging people to use social media for good, recognising its unavoidable presence and the enhancement brought by artificial intelligence (AI).
One notable case involves a victim of school bullying from Mt Darwin, whose video of her being abused by another girl named Precious Ruza went viral.
Pledges have been made, with some offering to send the victim to school.
Others have even committed to assisting both the bully and the victim in receiving counselling.
This situation has generated significant excitement and attention.
The victim, Bybit Ruza, is still in Harare where she is being pampered with gifts and gadgets.
In a recent case, a Harare Polytechnic graduate, Panashe, was mocked for her makeup, which was deemed subpar. Social media trolls had a field day, prompting socialite Lorraine Guyo to come to her rescue.
Guyo fought in Panashe’s corner and offered to cheer the graduate up.
“I’ve seen so many people mocking this incredible woman for her makeup while completely overlooking her achievements and the hard work she’s put into her journey. In today’s world, we often choose to laugh instead of celebrate. But let’s remember that it takes immense dedication and commitment to finish any programme; the journey is never easy. Dear sister, if you happen to see this post, know that you are a true inspiration to girls everywhere. You embody empowerment and are a beautiful example of brains and beauty. We invite you to visit Braid & Weave Nation, where our team would love to offer you a complimentary hairstyle, makeup, and nails as a small token of our appreciation. Congratulations on your well-deserved success,” Guyo shared on her Facebook post.
Wherever Panashe is, she must be the happiest woman today.
The Nyathi family (Gilbert Nyamanhindi and Joyce Manyara), who faced ridicule as they began their content creation journey, are now proud owners of a homestead and cars after their story was shared online.
Even Mai Jeremaya (real name Ashley Masendeke), who became a laughingstock due to a prominent yet unpopular rape case, has had her life transformed.
On a lighter note, DJ Towers, who was once mocked for his online content, was gifted a Toyota Fortuner and US$50 000 in cash in August 2025 by businessman Wicknell Chivayo.
Experts interviewed by The Herald on Saturday Lifestyle weighed in on this ongoing debate and shared their thoughts on this pressing matter.
Radio personality Tildah Moyo believes Zimbabweans have always wanted to uplift each other.
“I have noticed that trend, which has been going on for months, and it’s clear that people are willing to help, mostly strangers. If you help these victims, who are mainly strangers, from the bottom of your heart, you get more blessings compared to someone helping relatives who keep demanding more,” she stressed.
The veteran broadcaster stated that victims of cyberbullying deserve special care to move on and forget their sorrows.
“There is nothing wrong with assisting someone who needs help after being bullied or embarrassed because it helps to restore their self-esteem.
“I have been experiencing this for some time, and the trend keeps going on,” she added.
Zimbabwe’s most sought-after grooming and etiquette coach, Molly Chuma, questioned the intentions of some people who rush to engage victims of cyberbullying.
“If you look closely at this matter, most of the people who rush to get hold of these victims are doing it for commercial purposes and not genuine help,” she stated.
“I can cite an example of that Harare graduate who was trending for subpar make-up. We all know that some of the people who expressed their desire to help were doing it for personal gain and not genuine help. We all know that people ended up looking for the person who did her new makeup, and that alone was not genuine help but a marketing strategy.”
She also expressed her dismay at people who cannot help these victims discreetly.
“If you are willing to help these people, why not do it secretly rather than publicising it, as is the case with most celebrities we have in Zimbabwe?
“You can still get in touch with the victims and help them without parading them on social media, which can attract more bullying and traction,” she pointed out.
Businessman, arts promoter and social commentator Tinashe Mutarisi believes that most people who rush to offer gifts to these victims are not doing so genuinely.
“Not all the people who claim to be assisting these victims are doing it genuinely but to please other parties.
“Some of the so-called benefactors are offering gifts just to prove a point and make the other party feel bad. In Shona, we call it ‘kusvotesana’, which is not genuine help in my view,” noted Mutarisi.
“On that note, I have also noted that people who rush to offer this kind of help take sides when addressing such cases. We can do better as a nation if we don’t take sides when resolving such cases, as has become the trend nowadays.”
Mutarisi also denounced the begging syndrome that is now prevalent on social media, as such victims end up appearing to be after free gifts.
“I think in Zimbabwe, we have just developed a culture of begging for luxuries rather than working hard. We now have cliques who will do anything to get public ridicule on social media to gain sympathy from people who end up pampering them with gifts. To be honest with you, this syndrome needs to be stopped forthwith because it is now out of hand, to say the least.”
Mutarisi’s observation, which many people might not want to hear, has been supported by a local pastor who preferred to remain anonymous.
“As far as we want to support these victims of social bullying, we have both genuine and well-choreographed cases, where you can see that some people are doing it for public sympathy. To be honest with you, most people in Zimbabwe no longer want to work as they are after cheap stuff,” said the pastor.
“Many people out there have seen the benefits of being ridiculed on social media, as attention-seeking businesspeople and entrepreneurs are quick to engage them. There are even some who further exploit these victims by parading them on social media, which is quite unfortunate and regrettable.”
As the debate rages on, experts concurred that this new wave needs to be handled carefully to avoid raising a new generation of beggars.
They also denounced cyberbullying as well as self-inflicted social media trolling for public sympathy.
