Meet veteran newspaper seller

Lawrence Chitumba Review Writer
At the intersection of Rekayi Tangwena and Bishop Gaul avenues in the morning and for most of the working day, one cannot miss the sight of an old man as he sits leaning against a traffic light post.

One might dismiss him as a tired citizen until the moment a motorist calls out. Then he springs up energetically, makes a quick dash to the target vehicle and faster than you can say “newspaper” the old man has handed it over and collected his cash. He then ambles back to his base, one transaction down and hundreds more to go before he can call it a day.

Meet Marifasi Mpurura, a claimant to the longest service award for Zimpapers Private Limited. He was employed by what was then Rhodesia Herald in 1956 and deployed to the delivery and sales department on a permanent basis.

From that time selling newspapers for the stable has been his only occupation, albeit in different capacities.

Mpurura retired from full time employment in 1992 and decided to become a newspaper vendor because selling newspapers was the only thing he had ever known.

Born on April 4 1932 in Salima, Nyasaland (now Malawi), Mpurura decided that greener pastures were to be found elsewhere.

At 22 years of age and with a group of friends, he decided to trek join the trek of fellow compatriots who were finding their way to Southern Rhodesia.

“We followed the railway line and walked for so long before we eventually arrived in Salisbury (now Harare),” recalls Mpurura.

Some months later he had the job that he has kept for 60 years as he has kept his occupation even after formal retirement.

He has seen others come and go while he remains with the organisation. He witnessed first-hand the shift from white to black management and the gradual eradication of racism.

“I also remember the time that the late Chipunga got employed at The Herald, the father had told me that his son had got a top job at our company and I had to look for him,” said Mpurura.

Mpurura also vividly remembers the year 1959 when Herald House was constructed and the organisation moved to occupy the new building.

“It was the most beautiful building in town and we were all proud to be associated with it,” he recalls.

The veteran news seller says he is not too impressed with modern developments in the sector. He believes that during his time the tools and equipment for producing newspapers were of the best quality and what the current generation thinks of as vast improvements have been mere regressions.

“I have no respect for the modern machinery which is being used for printing these days, during our days the machinery that we used was by far more efficient than the ones currently used,” he said.

Mpurura who stays in Highfield at number 3252 married his sweetheart in 1958 and was blessed with seven children, four girls and three boys, sadly two of his boys passed away.

The 83-year-old man says that Zimpapers has always been a generous employer and he constantly relives the good times that his family enjoyed on his pay packet.

“We used to be paid a lot of money those days which was enough to cater for all our needs and at the end of the year we were accorded hefty bonuses, and I can tell you things will never be the same.

“At the end of each year the company used to host big end of year parties for its employees. At these parties those who would have excelled during the year were rewarded for their hard work by being given awards and prize money,” he said with a smile on his face.

But like most other old aged people in the country, Mpurura faces challenges in daily survival as pensions have been eroded by various factors and in the absence of meaningful investments, many pensioners are almost reduced to penury.

The smile fades from his face when he begins to lament his current situation which is a complete opposite of the yesteryears.

But his outlook is pragmatic and he counts his blessings that he has a source of income that he can depend on even if it is not quite sufficient to allow him to put aside savings for the day when he will no longer be able to maintain his position as a living landmark at the corner of Rekayi Tangwena and Bishop Gaul avenues.

“At the moment the money I am getting from selling newspapers is not enough to cater for my needs. I can’t complain because that is the situation throughout the country,” he said.

The self-proclaimed devout Christian is a member of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP). He likes his sadza served with his favourite relish – fish. In the absence of fish he will settle for either beans or chicken.

Mpurura is a staunch CAPS United supporter who used to enjoy the game during the days of great players like Stanley Ndunduma, Friday Phiri, Brenna Msiska, Carlos Max and Stix Mtizwa.

He dislikes the hooliganism of Dynamos supporters especially after their team has lost a match, a sad trait that he says has lasted for decades.

As a long serving employee he has some advice for those still answering to a boss: “One must always be early for work and never be absent for no apparent reason,” he cautions.

Hard to argue with such words of wisdom.