Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A MUTARE man has sensationally claimed that his marriage fell apart after his former wife joined TikTok, alleging that she used the social media platform to connect with several men while he was working in South Africa.
The allegations emerged before Chief Mutasa’s community court, where Zivai Changarara recounted the events he believes led to the breakdown of his relationship with his former wife, identified only as Felistas.
Changarara said he met Felistas in October 2021, and the couple began staying together the following year.
He said he embraced her two children as his own, and even paid school fees for one of them while preparing to formally marry her.
Changarara said he had begun saving money for lobola (bride price) and kept the funds in a piggy bank at their home.
“I was saving money so that I could pay her bride price. One day the piggy bank was opened, the money disappeared, and the container was thrown away. She denied taking it, but I strongly suspected her. What pains me is that the money was meant to formalise our marriage,” he said.
Changarara later left for South Africa in search of work, hoping to improve the family’s financial situation.
However, he alleged that the relationship took a dramatic turn after Felistas joined TikTok.
“When she came to visit me in South Africa, I discovered videos and photographs on her phone that troubled me. Some showed other men holding our child, while others were intimate videos that she had never shared with me,” he told the court.
He further alleged that some of the material had been sent to men whose contacts were saved under names such as “Muzaya”.
“When I confronted her, she said the videos were simply recordings she had made. But later I discovered that some had been sent to other people. Most of these problems started after she joined TikTok and became active on social media,” he said.
Changarara claimed that further inspection of the phone uncovered thousands of voice notes exchanged between Felistas and several men.
“I found conversations between her and different men, including one identified as Emmanuel Mutsikira and another saved as ‘Baba Juju’. There were around 3 000 voice notes. From the conversations I heard, they appeared to be discussing romantic relationships while I was away working,” he alleged.
He said after discovering the messages, he confiscated the phone and SIM card and bought her another handset, but claimed she later shifted her communications to Facebook.
Changarara said tensions in the relationship escalated as mistrust grew between the couple.
He alleged that Felistas often communicated with other men while he was away at work, and would block or conceal the conversations whenever he returned home.
Changarara also recounted an incident that he said left him fearing for his safety.
“One night, I woke up and found her boiling water while naked. When I asked her what she intended to do with it, she claimed she wanted to drink it. I became frightened and suspicious because the explanation did not make sense to me,” he said.
The relationship eventually collapsed, prompting Changarara to return to Zimbabwe.
He further alleged that after their separation, Felistas damaged property at his residence and burnt some household items, allegations she strongly denied.
Felistas, in her defence, dismissed the accusations of infidelity and blamed the collapse of the relationship on Changarara’s alleged failure to adequately support the family.
“He abandoned me and is not taking proper care of the children. I relocated to Harare so that I could provide for them myself,” she said.
She denied engaging in affairs with other men and rejected claims that the videos found on her phone were intended for lovers.
“I was never promiscuous. He is the one who was unfaithful. The videos he saw were my personal videos and were not meant for any other men or social media. I also did not steal the money from the piggy bank as he alleges,” said Felistas.
She insisted that her chief concern was the welfare of the children and urged her former husband to meet his parental responsibilities.
After hearing both sides, Chief Mutasa urged the former couple to put aside their differences and focus on co-parenting peacefully.
“Although you are now divorced, you still need to find a way to coexist peacefully, especially for the sake of the children. Avoid conduct that creates further conflict and focus on resolving outstanding issues amicably,” said Chief Mutasa.
