Jealousy Anne Nhira 'lashes out' at Zodwa Wabantu

Actress-cum-reality show host Anne Nhira wants to know why Zimbabwean promoters have seen it fit to give South African "provocateur" Zodwa Wabantu Libram a second over R20 000 cheque for the same reason countless females in show business have been vilified for in the country.

Zodwa Wabantu, who shot to fame for sleazy dressing at gigs in addition to sexually evocative dance moves, was invited to Bulawayo recently where she reportedly wowed a packed club.

Scheduled to grace the Harare International Carnival street party next week, the carefree mother of one, is literally making a killing off an aphrodisiac, a practice which is socially contraband locally and that is the basis of Nhira's argument.

"It continuously puzzles me. I clearly believe the progress of our nation Zimbabwe is in our hands and is contributed by lack of our own efforts to lift each other up or having the ability to do so," she posted on Facebook recently.

"Zimbabwe's tourism sector, which should be one of the instigators of local exhibitions calls a ‘South African' socialite, not celebrity. A socialite named provocateur Zodwa."

According to Anne, who is famed for her impressive role as Vimbai Jari on Zimbabwe's once popular soapie Studio 263 over a decade ago, inviting "socialites" is sheer waste of already depleted resources by promoters.

"A celebrity is someone who is celebrated by the good works they have done to lift the national flag up in their respective craft and a socialite just… wait for it… socialises, as in talks nonsense, takes indecent  pictures, videos, seduces and you know that kind of stuff according to the general experience so far," she sfaid.

"In this case, Zodwa dances with no panties and posts indecent pictures on social media. How does that qualify her to be a Zimbabwe national tourist attraction and to attend a function of the highest stature this year?"

Speaking "from experience", Nhira detailed how other countries, including Zodwa's homeland, give preference to their own talent before extending the fishing nets to foreign ponds.

"…we have one of the highest unemployment rates and whatever Zodwa, a South African provocateur who is not even one of the top socialites in South Africa is [sic] getting paid could have gone to another young Zimbabwean woman who has worked tirelessly and does so decently, or a dancer if the intention was that particular? We have dancers and socialites in Zimbabwe who would benefit from this national tourist exposure," she wrote.

Currently juggling between her newly launched talk show — Masuwo with Anne Show — acting, television production, humanitarian ambassadorial roles and business, the beautiful Annie has managed to reinvent herself after a 10-year hiatus from the public fora.

This is in addition to her Anne Studios International, a company specialising in talent scouting and training and has been making strides in talent nurturing and promotion.

In 2007 when Studio 263 was pulled off air over backstage disputes, the country felt a void at living without the characters they had grown to love for years.

Famous for her beauty and exceptional acting skill, Annie, who is currently based in South Africa, is etched in the minds of Zimbabweans, a decade after her appearance on screen.