Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
DEPUTY Tourism Minister Tongai Mnangagwa sat across the dinner table from Springboks captain Siya Kolisi in Harare on Friday night, a meeting carefully staged after the Rugby World Cup winner’s midweek visit to Victoria Falls.
Kolisi, South Africa’s most recognisable sports figure and the only man to lift the Webb Ellis Cup twice as Springbok captain, arrived in the capital after spending time at the resort town that has become Zimbabwe’s frontline pitch to the world.
His presence alone drew attention. His meeting with a senior government official made it political, economic, and deliberate.
The dinner followed Kolisi’s movements through Victoria Falls earlier in the week, where his public appearances were closely watched by tourism officials and private operators.
The Falls has increasingly been used as Zimbabwe’s soft power showcase, a place where visiting athletes, entertainers, and business figures are quietly courted, photographed, and spoken to about return visits, endorsements, and events.
Mnangagwa has become the face of that strategy. Over the past two years, he has pushed sports tourism beyond slogans, tying it to international fixtures, athlete visits, and the use of elite sport personalities to sell Zimbabwe as safe, open, and investable. Friday night’s meeting fitted that pattern.
According to officials familiar with the engagement, Mnangagwa outlined how government wants sport to sit at the centre of tourism growth, not on the sidelines.
The focus was on attracting international events, using iconic sites like Victoria Falls as backdrops for global sport, and linking high profile athletes to destination branding that reaches audiences traditional tourism campaigns cannot.
“Sport tells our story in a way brochures never will,” Mnangagwa said, framing Zimbabwe’s ambitions around visibility, youth opportunity, and economic spin-offs rather than medals or prestige alone.
Kolisi, whose own life story has made him a symbol well beyond rugby, spoke candidly about his experience in Zimbabwe. He praised Victoria Falls for its scale and atmosphere and said the warmth he encountered matched the destination’s global reputation.
Those close to the discussion said he showed clear interest in how African countries are beginning to use sport as a development and tourism tool, not just entertainment.
The Harare dinner shifted away from sightseeing and into leadership and influence. Conversations touched on youth pathways, the responsibility carried by public figures, and how sport shapes national identity in ways politics often cannot.
It was informal in tone but not accidental in purpose. There were no contracts signed and no statements issued. That silence was part of the message. Zimbabwe has learned from previous high profile visits that impact is often built quietly, through relationships, repeat visits, and long term alignment rather than one off announcements.
For Mnangagwa, hosting Kolisi reinforced his growing profile as the government’s point man on sports tourism, a portfolio that has gained weight as traditional tourism markets fluctuate. For Kolisi, the visit added Zimbabwe to a widening African footprint that already includes social projects, brand partnerships, and leadership roles beyond the pitch.
What comes next remains open. Future visits, endorsements, or sporting tie-ins are possibilities rather than promises. But the signal sent on Friday night was unmistakable. Zimbabwe is courting influence through sport, and Kolisi is exactly the kind of figure it wants seen listening at its table.
