Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
DAVITAH, son of the late music legend James Chimombe, has urged undocumented Zimbabweans living in South Africa to return home and rebuild their lives.
He believes Zimbabwe will always be the safest place to seek refuge, especially during the ongoing crackdown on undocumented foreign nationals in South Africa.
“I have been working here for years as a fitter and turner while also pursuing my music career, but home is always best,” he said.
“In my case, I have all the necessary paperwork, but my dream is to return home permanently one day so that I can safeguard my father’s legacy on home soil.
“I have been doing my best to keep my father’s legacy alive, but life here in South Africa is not easy. We still love our country.”
The Afro-fusion singer, who is expected back in Zimbabwe this week ahead of Dino Mudondo’s 48th birthday celebrations, said he was planning to settle permanently in the country.
“To be honest with you, my dream is to come back home and stay here for good. With the nature of my job, I know I won’t be jobless. Besides, I have been looking forward to starting other business ventures.
“I am the kind of person who doesn’t put all his eggs in one basket because I know that is not sustainable.”
As the son of a music legend, Davitah said he intended to return home to honour his father ahead of the Heroes and Defence Forces holidays.
“For your own information, I know I have a legacy to carry forward, and my responsibility is to ensure that James Chimombe’s legacy lives on.
“I can’t wait to be back home and meet my close friends and relatives. I am grateful that I have a place I can call home and, above all, that I am the son of a music legend.” Asked how he intended to mark the Heroes holiday, he said: “I will be in Njanja, our rural home, where I will seek guidance and wisdom from my elders. One of my other plans is to give my father’s grave a facelift. This has always been my wish, but it is something we will do in consultation with the family.”
Earlier this year, the singer assured fans that James Chimombe’s legacy was in safe hands.
He also said that his father’s estate and legacy would remain intact because of the unity among his siblings.
James Chimombe died in 1990 at the age of 39, leaving behind properties in Harare and Njanja, as well as a rich catalogue of timeless songs that continue to resonate with music lovers.
Following his father’s death, Davitah, his eldest sister Tendai, and his late brothers Fred and Kudakwashe became actively involved in the arts. Sadly, Fred and Kudakwashe have since died. The surviving siblings are Tendai, Linda, Linden, Donald, and Davitah.
Speaking ahead of his father’s 36th death anniversary later this year, Davitah — also an accomplished musician — told Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub that their father was a unifying figure.
“I can safely say that my father was a unifier who wanted his children to remain united.
“The genuine love and peace that he instilled in us have kept us together, and that is why you rarely hear about disputes within our family. Whenever there are issues, we always find a way to resolve them amicably,” he said.
“We are also guided by family elders, including my elder sister Tendai, who is both a musician and a teacher. Her guidance has helped us resolve our differences peacefully, which is why you see us remaining close.”
Davitah, who has built a successful music career that includes collaborations with South African musician Freddy Gwala, said the family remains committed to preserving their father’s homestead in Njanja.
“My father loved his rural home in Njanja and used to take us there from time to time, even though he also had a house in Cranborne, where my younger brother stays.
“He had a strong attachment to his rural home, and we cannot allow it to fall into disrepair because that is where we will one day be buried.”
Musically, Davitah said he will release a new album titled Chakuma next month. He also hopes to establish an arts centre in Njanja, drawing inspiration from the late Oliver Mtukudzi, whose Pakare Paye Arts Centre continues to nurture talent, while the late Mbuya Stella Chiweshe’s homestead in Masembura, Bindura, has been turned into a museum.
Davitah said he remains confident that nothing will stop him from fulfilling his dream of preserving his father’s legacy while contributing to Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage.
