Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
FOR six months, the conversation they both needed never happened until a prison visit brought Sanele Hadebe face to face with the pain he had caused and the woman he almost lost.
During the recent Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Family Week, a programme designed to rebuild broken bonds between inmates and their loved ones, Hadebe (30) and his wife, Sethukile Masuku, finally confronted the domestic violence incident that led to his imprisonment.
The meeting at Gwanda Prison was not just a reunion, but a moment of reckoning, healing and fragile hope.
Hadebe is serving a 12-month sentence imposed in October for violating a protection order and threatening Masuku.
The order had been granted earlier after he assaulted her, an offence for which he had initially been sentenced to community service.
His failure to reform led to his arrest and eventual incarceration.
For Masuku, the visit was long overdue.
“I came to see my husband today because, despite what he did to me, he is still my husband and I still love him. The Bible also states that we should forgive those who wrong us, no matter how many times they wrong us,” she said.
“But I needed answers. I asked him why he continues to hurt me while claiming to love me. I made it clear that I will not tolerate abuse again, and if it happens, I will report him.”
Accompanied by their two children — aged three years and one year two months — Masuku balanced confrontation with compassion. Amid serious discussions, the couple shared lighter moments, laughed and even shared a meal, offering a glimpse of the family life they hope to rebuild.
She said the visit gave her something she had lacked since the incident — closure.
“Ever since he committed the offence, I had not had the chance to talk to him properly. This visit helped me express my pain and also hear him out,” said Masuku.
While she expressed willingness to reconcile after his release, Masuku was firm that love should never come at the cost of dignity.
“Staying with someone does not mean tolerating abuse. Women must stand up for themselves and report it when it happens,” she said.
Masuku believes her husband’s imprisonment could mark a turning point.
“Being here will help him realise that women should not be victimised. I hope this time he will change.”
For Hadebe, the encounter was sobering. He used the opportunity to apologise and acknowledge the harm he had caused.
“My wife poured her heart out and explained how my actions hurt her. I was deeply touched. I want to start afresh when I’m released and I want to be a responsible husband and father,” he said.
Hadebe said prison life has forced him to reflect on his behaviour, including his abuse of alcohol and poor associations.
“Being in prison is not easy. It has made me rethink my life choices. It hurts to see my family and not be able to go home with them,” he said.
Hadebe said skills acquired during his incarceration would help him rebuild his life upon release.
The ZPCS Family Week, which runs from April 6 to 12, allows inmates extended visits with their families, including children, creating space for dialogue, reconciliation and emotional healing. — @DubeMatutu
