Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
WHILE congratulatory messages continue to pour in for cycling couple Thando Tshuma and Vusi Mkandla, popularly known as VusuThando, following their traditional wedding in Botswana and plans for a ceremony in Zimbabwe, their recent comments about the media have sparked widespread debate.
In a video recorded on Sunday that has since gone viral on social media, the couple, while sharing details of their wedding plans, stated that journalists — particularly those based in Bulawayo — would not be welcome at their wedding.
Unprompted, the couple responded to questions from fans, saying: “Guys, there are people who are going to get an invitation to our big wedding. Only those who’ve supported us are invited. If you are a journalist, just know that you are not invited. I know quite a number of journalists are going to want to write a story. Please, don’t write anything. This is to our esteemed fans who’ve been wishing us well to get married. Journalists, newsrooms, news reporters, and other media houses, please, guys, we don’t want you.”
Thando added: “If you are a journalist from Bulawayo, don’t contact us, don’t come to our wedding. We don’t need you. We don’t want journalists in our things.”
Vusi echoed his fiancée’s sentiments, describing journalists as “opportunists” who only associate with individuals when it suits them.
“The time when we were trending in Bulawayo, a lot of journalists contacted us after we arrived from Kenya, and they wrote some stories about us, which we appreciated. But the time we needed them to publish something important to us, they never did. The thing with journalists is they only want something they can sell,” he said.
According to the couple, their remarks stem from a show they staged in the City of Kings, where they claim local journalists — both radio and print — as well as Bulawayo celebrities, failed to support them. They contrasted this with their experience in Botswana, where they said they received overwhelming support from the media.
“The time when we were in Botswana, the people there treated us like their own. They really took good care of us, which is why we did something special and decided to get married when we were in Francistown. A lot of good things happened in Botswana, and a lot of journalists there took an interest. The moral of the story is, if you are a journalist that we have worked with and when we wanted you, you didn’t respond to our call, then please don’t do a write-up of this story,” Vusi added.
Thando further clarified: “To be specific, if you are a journalist from Bulawayo, don’t contact us, don’t come to our wedding. This is the truth. We don’t need you. Harare people can come, we love Harare.”
During their livestream, the couple — en route to Nigeria on their cycling expedition via Angola — also took a swipe at local creatives, claiming that some Bulawayo artistes are arrogant and had previously dismissed their dreams.
However, it is worth noting that when the couple embarked on the first season of their African tour to Kenya, Zimpapers’ flagship publications, Sunday News and Chronicle, covered their story extensively, offering readers insight into the inspiration behind their journey.
When they arrived in Bulawayo via Harare, the Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub provided regular updates on the couple’s whereabouts and progress.
Despite their criticism of the media, the couple were quick to reassure their supporters that fans are more than welcome to witness and celebrate their big day when they officially tie the knot.
They shouldn’t be making statements while on the road and tired. I’m sure by the time they come back from Nigeria, their experiences would have helped them to be in a different frame of mind.