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Arts Reporter
South African artiste and music producer Mthokozisi Khathi, also known as DJ Tira, who lost his passport last Saturday after staging a show in Gwanda, has returned to his home country courtesy of the South African Embassy in Harare.
He flew out from Robert Mugabe International Airport yesterday morning after being issued with an emergency exit document by the Embassy.
DJ Tira, who had been holed up at a top Harare hotel since Sunday, blamed himself for not checking for his passport, hours before departure from Bulawayo to Johannesburg as he presumed that it was in his bag but later found out at the last minute that it was missing, .
In an interview with The Herald Arts desk by telephone from Johannesburg yesterday, DJ Tira thanked the embassy for assisting him with a one way exit document which enabled him to fly to South Africa.
“I am home in South Africa right now, sorting out my travel documents so I can come back to Zimbabwe on Friday,” he said.
“The officials at the South African embassy in Harare were very helpful. I can’t mention names of the staff but they all assisted. I got a one way exit document.”
Narrating his ordeal, DJ Tira said he was traumatised and distressed when he found out he had no passport at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo when he was on his way back to South Africa on Sunday morning.
“I was stayingat a guest house in Gwanda. I only discovered the passport was missing when I arrived to board the flight on Sunday at 11am, my flight was at 1235hrs in Bulawayo. I blame myself for not checking if the passport was in my bag before I left the guest house, and I was sure it was at the guest house, but when the guest house staff couldn’t find it, I was devastated,” he said.
The artiste was booked for a show at the Phoenix Shisanyama in Gwanda by Bulawayo promoters, Fife Street Events.
“I arrived at 8pm on Saturday and was the headline act supported by some Zimbabwean artistes,” DJ Tira, popularly known as Makoya Bearings, said.
Away from the drama with his passport, the Durban muso is back in Zimbabwe on Friday for another show in Kadoma.
Tira has promised to deliver a splendid performance, but some people are questioning whether he will be able to sort out his travel documentation in time for the show slated for the Odyssey Lodge in Kadoma. But DJ Tira said he will definitely be in Zimbabwe this Friday.
“Like I said, I am already sorting out my papers. We have already prepared for the new documents which will be ready on Thursday.
“Now, we are coming as a team and we will manage to beef up our security. The Kadoma show which is part of my Zimbabwean tour will be at Odyssey Hotel and will be supported by Nox Guni,” he said.
Asked to describe how he is finding Zimbabwean music and fan-base, DJ Tira said it is good and full of potential.
“I love Zimbabwean music. It has great potential, it needs more exposure and more collaborations with artistes outside of the Zimbabwean borders in order for more people to be exposed to it,” he said.
The Afrotainment boss said he was open to collaborations, especially with young upcoming musicians.
“I am currently listening and checking on who I can collaborate with. I am looking for fresh blood.
“I like to work with upcoming artistes more because they have fresh ideas,” Tira said.
Online Reporter