adminMelissa Mpofu Showbiz Editor
EDITH WeUtonga, a local Afro-Jazz sensation was in for a rude awakening last week after she was robbed by a Zimbabwean mob in South Africa.
While the country has been repatriating Zimbabweans back home following xenophobic attacks, WeUtonga was shocked to discover that it was fellow Zimbabweans who robbed her in a violent manner.
The devastated artiste, who returned home on Saturday, had travelled to Johannesburg last Thursday for a series of meetings over the weekend.
“I boarded a taxi to town at lunch time where I was going to catch a bus back to Zimbabwe. The driver left me on Small Street from where I was going to walk to Park Station.
“As I walked, I realised there was a gang of people with bleached skin, dressed in bright coloured clothes, following me. I saw them trying to open my bag and I stopped walking. They looked me in the eye, spoke in Ndebele and Shona and dared me to scream,” WeUtonga said.
“I responded in Shona and Ndebele but that didn’t deter them. They instead kicked me and asked me if I wanted to die for my luggage. One of them then opened my bag and broke my toothbrush to intimidate me.”
She said she was infuriated by the fact that she had been attacked by fellow Zimbabweans.
“We’re here teaming up, singing, saying no to xenophobia yet those who’re perpetrating violence in South Africa are fellow Zimbabweans. I’ve never felt that violated and I’m still shaken. Whenever I see people dressed shabbily, I get agitated, it’ll take time for me to get over this,” she said.
The thieves got away with her Nokia phone which had her forthcoming music, as well as R450 which she wanted to use for part of her son’s clothing at nearby shops.
“I asked them to remove the memory card but they refused. The card had quite a lot of my new music which was yet to be released as well as stuff I recorded using the phone’s recorder. I hope they don’t take advantage and leak my material,” she said.
“All I’m left with are lyrics, all the inspiration and ideas are gone. My son’s footage on his operation in India for a documentary I was working on is gone,” said a disheartened WeUtonga.”
Fortunately, her passport was in a back pack which the thieves did not steal. They also did not steal her travelling bag as she fell on top of it after being kicked.
The artiste was dealt a double blow this week as one of the venues she usually performs at — Book Café in Harare was shut down.
“I’ve a lot of work on my hands as we’ve to look for alternative venues to perform at after the closure of Book Café. We loved this venue as they cared about artistes unlike other venues where the people only care about making quick money,” she said.
Online Reporter